Waste Management in the Hospital Setting

The delivery of hospital based healthcare in the United States is responsible for massive amounts of physical waste which is contributing to environmental degradation and is expensive. The focus of this research is on the greatest producer of non-pharmaceutical waste in the hospital, the Operating Room, and to a much lesser extent, the Intensive Care Unit and Labor and Delivery units. This research explores the current state of the problem and recommended solutions via literature review as well as qualitative interviews. There are a number of solutions including waste reduction, prevention, reuse and redistribution, recycling, supply chain optimization, and staff education, available to avoid and reduce waste production as well as remediate waste produced. The solutions identified result in some or all environmental, societal, and governance improvements. However, these suggested changes present a deviation in established practice and can be challenging to implement. At this time, the technology and the finances favor sustainable improvements, but a lack of effort from market forces and much of hospital leadership are responsible for inaction.