Royal Prince Alfred Hospital
Caring for community health and our planet.
Royal Prince Alfred Hospital (RPA), located in the heart of Sydney, is one of Australia's premier tertiary and quaternary referral hospitals. As part of the Sydney Local Health District, RPA serves not only its local community but also patients from across New South Wales, Australia, and internationally. The hospital is renowned for its excellence in patient care, teaching, research, and innovation in health services. Every year, RPA cares for over 80,000 people in its Emergency Department, delivers more than 4,200 babies, performs close to 20,000 surgeries, and provides outpatient services to more than 560,000 people.
Image: Royal Prince Alfred Hospital
Sustainability at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital
As a major healthcare institution, RPA recognises the critical role hospitals play not only in caring for people, but also in protecting the health of the planet. The hospital is committed to being environmentally responsible, sustainable, adaptable, and resilient in the face of climate change and environmental degradation.
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This commitment is formalised in the Sydney Local Health District Environmental Health and Royal Prince Alfred Hospital Environmental Health and Sustainability Plan 2023–2027, which outlines clear goals to reduce environmental impact across hospital operations.
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RPA believes that good health extends beyond the hospital walls—it includes the environments where people live, work, and heal.
Brewing change with Simply Cups
Like many workplaces, RPA has a vibrant coffee culture. But with convenience often comes waste—specifically from single-use paper cups that can’t be recycled in regular bins.
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In response, RPA decided to work with Simply Cups to enable staff and visitors to recycle their coffee cups rather than sending them to landfill.
Images: Simply Cups collection units at King George Vth Building and RPA Cafe
17,000+
paper cups saved from landfill
*accurate as of 31st March 2025
“Our staff here at RPA have really come on board with our coffee cup recycling program. They understand that cups can't be recycled in regular bins, so they love knowing they are keeping them out of landfill and helping to reduce our environmental footprint.”
- Environmental Services Team, RPA Hospital
Making it work in a busy hospital
Introducing new waste streams in a hospital setting isn’t without its challenges.
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Managing bin placement, ensuring proper collection, and reducing contamination are all key considerations. But thanks to careful planning and staff engagement, RPA has maintained impressively low contamination rates in their Simply Cups bins.
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While hospital teams are primarily focused on patient care, staff have shown strong support for the initiative, with many calling for expansion. The environmental services team ensures waste is managed responsibly without compromising patient care standards.
Image: Sydney Sustainability Program Sustainability Recycling Hub in King George Vth Building
Other initiatives
The Simply Cups initiative is just one of many sustainability efforts underway at RPA. The hospital is actively reducing environmental impacts across its operations through a wide range of programs and partnerships, including:
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Global Green and Healthy Hospitals Network – advancing environmental health in healthcare globally
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Pharmacycle – recycling blister packs and metered dose inhalers
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Close the Loop – recycling end-of-life printer cartridges
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Ecocycle – recycling batteries and cardiac pacemakers
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BlockTexx – turning end-of-life uniforms into reusable materials
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Numerous other plastic and metal recycling partnerships
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These efforts are united under the Sydney Local Health District’s Environmental Health and Sustainability Plan, which supports climate resilience and environmental responsibility across healthcare facilities in the region.
Image: Blister Pack and Metered Dose Inhaler Recycling at Concord Repatriation General Hospital
This page was last updated in May 2025.