Reducing the Environmental and Economic Costs of Single-Department Infectious Waste Disposal

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Healthcare Management
• Waste Management

Background:

• Interventional radiology (IR) generates significant infectious waste (IW), contributing to environmental and economic burdens.
• Optimizing waste management in IR is crucial for sustainability and cost-efficiency.
• Current waste reduction strategies in IR often involve costly material changes or complex processes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of zero-cost interventions in reducing infectious waste (IW) production within interventional radiology (IR).
• To demonstrate that simple, inexpensive changes can significantly impact waste streams in a clinical setting.

Main Methods:

• A quality improvement initiative involving IR stakeholders (physicians, nurses, technologists) was implemented.
• Key interventions included focused staff education on waste sorting and strategic relocation of IW bins.
• Waste data (IW and non-infectious waste bags per case) were collected and analyzed before and after the intervention.

Main Results:

• Prior to the intervention, IW and non-infectious waste (NIW) bag production per case was comparable.
• Following the intervention, IW bags per case significantly decreased (P < .001).
• Post-intervention, IW production was substantially lower than NIW production (P < .001).

Conclusions:

• Zero-cost interventions, such as targeted education and optimized bin placement, are highly effective in reducing IW in IR.
• These interventions offer a sustainable and cost-effective approach to minimize the environmental and economic impact of IR waste.
• Stakeholder engagement is vital for the successful implementation of waste reduction strategies in healthcare settings.