A new review has spotlighted the significant waste of surgical procedures, urging a shift toward more sustainable practices.
The study, conducted at the Royal Marsden Hospital in the UK, analysed the waste from thyroidectomy procedures and revealed troubling figures about the recyclability of surgical instrument packaging.
The audit, which examined the waste from 20 thyroidectomies between July and December 2022, found that packaging waste from each surgery averaged 10.8 kilograms. This waste comprised 34% plain paper/cardboard, 31% soft plastic films, 26% laminated paper, 7% hard plastics, and 2% metal foil. Alarmingly, only one item out of the collected packaging bore a recycling label.
Extrapolating these figures to the 7,851 thyroidectomies performed by the NHS in the fiscal year 2021/2022, the total packaging waste amounts to approximately 4.2 tonnes.
Of this, only 31.4 kilograms are deemed recyclable. The carbon footprint associated with this waste is estimated at 1,048 kilograms CO2e, equivalent to the emissions from three round trips between London and Edinburgh in a petrol car.
The findings come amid growing calls for the healthcare sector to address its environmental impact. In November 2022, the UK Surgical Royal Colleges issued an Intercollegiate Climate Emergency Declaration urging immediate action to mitigate surgical practices’ ecological footprint.
The review advocates several measures to improve sustainability in surgical practices:
• Clear recycling labels: Manufacturers should clearly label the recyclability of packaging materials.
• Use of recyclable materials: Shifting to recyclable materials and reducing unnecessary packaging can significantly reduce waste.
• Digital information: Digitising information booklets can reduce the volume of waste generated.
• Local waste analysis: Conducting waste audits at local levels can help identify and address specific issues related to packaging waste.
The study highlights that much of the waste generated from thyroidectomies is recyclable, yet current practices must be revised.
Plain paper/cardboard and hard plastics constitute 41% of the waste and are easily recyclable, but unsuitable recycling infrastructure and poor labelling undermine this potential.
The review underscores the need for a systemic shift in surgical packaging management. By improving recycling practices and adopting more sustainable packaging solutions, the healthcare sector can play a pivotal role in reducing its environmental impact.
As the NHS, the most extensive publicly funded health system globally, accounts for approximately 4% of England’s carbon footprint, addressing waste in surgical practices is a critical step towards a more sustainable future.
The review’s findings serve as a call to action for healthcare professionals, policy-makers, and suppliers to collaborate on making surgeries more environmentally friendly.
