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Environmental sustainability in neurointerventional procedures: a waste audit
Pey Ling Shum1, Hong Kuan Kok2,3, Julian Maingard3,4
1Monash Health, Clayton, Victoria, Australia peylingshum@gmail.com.
Journal of Neurointerventional Surgery
|July 19, 2020
Summary
Neurointerventional procedures generate significant hospital waste, averaging 8 kg per case. Implementing targeted waste reduction strategies can minimize the environmental impact of these procedures.
Area of Science:
- Medical waste management
- Interventional radiology
- Environmental health
Background:
- Operating rooms generate substantial hospital waste (20-70%).
- Neurointerventional procedures contribute significantly to this waste burden.
- Evaluating waste from these procedures is crucial for sustainability.
Purpose of the Study:
- Assess the waste generated by neurointerventional procedures.
- Identify key areas for waste reduction.
- Promote green initiatives in radiology departments.
Main Methods:
- Conducted a waste audit of 17 neurointerventional procedures.
- Categorized waste into five streams: general, clinical, recyclable plastic, paper, and sharps.
- Weighed each waste stream using a digital scale over a 3-month period.
Main Results:
- 17 procedures generated 135.3 kg of waste, averaging 8 kg per case.
- Clinical waste constituted the largest portion (63.2%).
- Coiling procedures generated the most waste (13.1 kg/case).
Conclusions:
- Neurointerventional procedures produce considerable waste, necessitating reduction strategies.
- Initiatives include optimizing procedure packs, reducing packaging, digitizing instructions, and improving waste segregation.
- These actions can significantly lessen the specialty's environmental footprint.
