The NorCal brachytherapy waste audit: A simple, validated, toolkit for clinician led waste reduction

The healthcare system is resource intensive, and many opportunities exist to reduce medical waste. Brachytherapists performing inherently resource intensive procedures are well poised to initiate the transition to sustainable, climate-smart care. The authors developed a quality improvement-based (QI) NorCal Brachytherapy Waste Audit Toolkit to guide medical waste reduction in brachytherapy procedures and provide climate health education.

The NorCal Brachytherapy Waste Audit Toolkit was validated through brachytherapy waste audits conducted at 2 neighboring hospitals between 2021 and 2023. Waste was categorized into biohazardous waste, nonbiohazardous waste, and anesthesia waste and was weighed and cataloged after each procedure using a standard template by auditors not involved in the brachytherapy case. Findings were analyzed for key drivers of waste production and high impact interventions were selected.

Postaudit results demonstrate biohazardous waste reduction of greater than 50%, elimination of over 90% improper biohazardous waste sorting, cost savings ($4.22/kg) and a reduction in landfill waste by over 20%. The Toolkit was made public online and over 18 months, was accessed by 34 distinct individuals from 21 healthcare organizations across 7 countries and led to waste reduction projects in multiple specialties including radiation oncology, emergency medicine, and pediatrics.

A QI-based NorCal Brachytherapy Waste Audit Toolkit may help radiation oncologists and healthcare teams beyond radiation oncology reduce waste and contribute toward environmentally sustainable healthcare.