Realising resource efficiency in the management of healthcare waste from the Cornwall National Health Service (NHS) in the UK.

The quantities of waste generated by the healthcare sector in the United Kingdom (UK) have been shown to be amongst the highest in Europe. Based on a case study undertaken within the Cornwall NHS (National Health Service) in the UK, this paper reports on the results of waste minimisation trials. The schemes were able to achieve significant waste reductions in both clinical and domestic waste quantities. Indeed, a reduction in domestic bag waste in the range of 1.6-33.4%, with an average of 14.8% was realised. For clinical waste, the reduction ranged from 1.8% to 38.3%, at an average of 15.7%, with net cost benefits of nearly US$ 25,000 over the period of 1-3 years. The outcomes suggest that significant resource and financial efficiencies can be attained, but due to the many factors involved, there is a need to focus both on containment and logistics, as well as social factors for success.

[1]  Paul S Phillips,et al.  The development of strategic and tactical tools, using systems analysis, for waste management in large complex organisations: a case study in UK healthcare waste , 2005 .

[2]  Mehrdad Askarian,et al.  Results of a hospital waste survey in private hospitals in Fars province, Iran. , 2004, Waste management.

[3]  Peter Olko,et al.  Introducing waste segregation. , 2002, Health estate.

[4]  J. Seltzer,et al.  Medical waste in the environment: do anesthesia personnel have a role to play? , 1996, Journal of clinical anesthesia.

[5]  Byeong-Kyu Lee,et al.  Alternatives for treatment and disposal cost reduction of regulated medical wastes. , 2004, Waste management.

[6]  Nabil Mustafa.  Plastics waste management : disposal, recycling, and reuse , 1993 .

[7]  J. Gruenberg,et al.  A quantitative, qualitative, and critical assessment of surgical waste. Surgeons venture through the trash can. , 1992, JAMA.

[8]  Jean-Marc Zaninetti.  Sustainable Development in the USA , 2009 .

[9]  Shan-Shan Chung,et al.  Evaluating sustainability in waste management: the case of construction and demolition, chemical and clinical wastes in Hong Kong , 2003 .

[10]  T L Tudor,et al.  Healthcare waste management: a case study from the National Health Service in Cornwall, United Kingdom. , 2005, Waste management.

[11]  R Mohee,et al.  Medical wastes characterisation in healthcare institutions in Mauritius. , 2005, Waste management.

[12]  N. Mello,et al.  Medical wastes management in the south of Brazil. , 2005, Waste management.

[13]  F Dilek Sanin,et al.  A study of the dental solid waste produced in a school of dentistry in Turkey. , 2004, Waste management.