title: Auditing Operating Room Recycling: A Management Case Report.
abstract: Much waste arises from operating rooms (ORs). We estimated the practical and financial feasibility of an OR recycling program, weighing all waste from 6 ORs in Melbourne, Australia. Over 1 week, 237 operations produced 1265 kg in total: general waste 570 kg (45%), infectious waste 410 kg (32%), and recyclables 285 kg (23%). The achieved recycling had no infectious contamination. The achieved recycling/potential recycling rate was 285 kg/517 kg (55%). The average waste disposal costs were similar for general waste and recycling. OR recycling rates of 20%-25% total waste were achievable without compromising infection control or financial constraints.
authors.affiliation: From the Departments of *Anaesthesia and †Intensive Care, Western Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Forbes
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: McGain
authors.forename: Katherine Maria
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Jarosz
authors.forename: Martin Ngoc Hoai Huong
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Nguyen
authors.forename: Samantha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bates
authors.forename: Catherine Jane
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: O'Shea
mesh_terms: D001315:Australia; D006801:Humans; D017053:Infection Control / Q000592:standards; D008330:Management Audit; D017744:Medical Waste Disposal / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009873:Operating Rooms / Q000458:organization & administration*; D059027:Recycling / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
chemical_list: D017744:Medical Waste Disposal