title: [Ecodialysis: first strategies to limit damages and reduce costs].
abstract: In the medical field, the attention to the environmental impact of industrial processes and products is still limited. In recent years there has been an increased sensitivity towards the environment; meanwhile, the economic burden of hazardous waste disposal is becoming evident. Dialysis is a "big producer" of waste and it has been estimated that disposal costs can be up to 10-40% of the cost of disposables. So there are several reasons of interest on "ecodialysis": the high amount of waste defined as "potentially hazardous", which requires a very expensive management and the recyclability potential of the non-contaminated waste, that has not yet been fully explored in dialysis. This primary study has been performed in collaboration with the Politecnico di Torino. Its aim has been to define a schedule of activities by a few brainstorming sessions. This schedule is to be readily performed or it should be developed in detail to optimize, by reducing and recycling, the waste production during the dialysis session. The discussion identified seven basic points for the eco-sustainability of haemodialysis to: [1] reduce packaging; [2] facilitate separation of materials, and [3] their discharge; [4] differentiate materials; [5] clearly highlight the potentially hazardous materials; [6] improve the recyclability of plastic products; [7] propose a path of recovery and reuse. Although a full optimization requires a close cooperation with the manufacturers and is achievable only in the long term, the reduction of one pound of potentially contaminated materials could presently lead, on a national scale, to a saving of several million euros, which can be better employed in investments to improve our treatments.
authors.forename: Martina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ferraresi
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nazha
authors.forename: Federica Neve
authors.initials: FN
authors.lastname: Vigotti
authors.forename: Amina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pereno
authors.forename: Gerardo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Di Giorgio
authors.forename: Rachele
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gatti
authors.forename: Bevilacqua Maria
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Luisa
authors.forename: Cagnazzo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Miriam
authors.forename: Cassetta
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Barbara
authors.forename: Denti
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Giovanna
authors.forename: Grimaldi
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gaetana
authors.forename: Marianna
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Monterossi
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Barbero
authors.forename: Giorgina Barbara
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Piccoli
mesh_terms: D003363:Cost Control; D004777:Environment; D015312:Hemodialysis Solutions; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D017744:Medical Waste Disposal / Q000191:economics* / Q000379:methods*; D006435:Renal Dialysis
chemical_list: D015312:Hemodialysis Solutions; D017744:Medical Waste Disposal