ECONOMIC
case study: waste management and resource recovery
Royal north shore hospital operating theatres
It is estimated that a hospital's operating theatres are between three to six times more energy intensive than other departments and contribute approximately 20-30% of a hospital's total waste output [10]. After identifying a need to become more sustainable, the Royal North Shore Hospital operating theatres reviewed a range of opportunities to increase the number of waste streams to reduce landfill and non-usability of clinical waste. This was achieved by implementing metal salvaging recycling from laparoscopic procedures, introducing dry mix recycling that allows high-quality plastics to be turned into Processed Engineered Fuel (PEF), increasing battery recycling initiatives and focusing on managing pharmaceutical waste by diverting waste from being collected in sharps bins and incinerated off- site. This ensures that pharmaceutical waste is disposed of via energy efficient combustion. The operating theatres have also moved to use of biodegradable kidney dishes and trays made of 100% bagasse, a sugarcane fibre that is both compostable and biodegradable and suitable for incineration with less carbon emissions.
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