Camila R Guetter1, Barbara J Williams2, Eliza Slama3, Amanda Arrington4, Marion C Henry4, Mecker G Möller5, Janet Elizabeth Tuttle-Newhall6, Sharon Stein7, Marie Crandall8. 1. Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, Brazil. 2. University of California Irvine School of Medicine, Irvine, CA, USA. 3. St. Agnes Hospital, Baltimore, MD, USA. 4. University of Arizona College of Medicine Tucson, Tucson, AZ, USA. 5. University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA. 6. East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, USA. 7. Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, USA. 8. University of Florida College of Medicine Jacksonville, Jacksonville, FL, USA. Electronic address: Marie.crandall@jax.ufl.edu.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Climate change will affect most populations in the next decades and put the health of billions of people at risk. Health care facilities represent a significant source of pollution around the world and contribute to environmental changes. To address this topic, we performed a review of the available literature on tactics to reduce operating room (OR) waste and the potential of these strategies to impact the environment. DATA SOURCES: A literature search was performed querying PubMed, Web of Science, and Science Direct. No comparative data were found; most were opinion papers, white papers, and case studies. For this reason, we proceeded with a narrative review, which provides an overview of the evidence on this topic and identifies areas for future research. RESULTS: This systematic review summarizes the available literature on the 5 "Rs" of waste management: reduction, reusing, recycling, rethinking, and renewable energies. CONCLUSIONS: Surgery has a unique opportunity to transition to more environmentally-friendly operating room strategies, which may help decrease waste and lessen the impact of climate change.
BACKGROUND: Climate change will affect most populations in the next decades and put the health of billions of people at risk. Health care facilities represent a significant source of pollution around the world and contribute to environmental changes. To address this topic, we performed a review of the available literature on tactics to reduce operating room (OR) waste and the potential of these strategies to impact the environment. DATA SOURCES: A literature search was performed querying PubMed, Web of Science, and Science Direct. No comparative data were found; most were opinion papers, white papers, and case studies. For this reason, we proceeded with a narrative review, which provides an overview of the evidence on this topic and identifies areas for future research. RESULTS: This systematic review summarizes the available literature on the 5 "Rs" of waste management: reduction, reusing, recycling, rethinking, and renewable energies. CONCLUSIONS: Surgery has a unique opportunity to transition to more environmentally-friendly operating room strategies, which may help decrease waste and lessen the impact of climate change.
Authors: Rennie X Qin; Lotta Velin; Elizabeth F Yates; Omnia El Omrani; Elizabeth McLeod; Jemesa Tudravu; Lubna Samad; Alistair Woodward; Craig D McClain Journal: Lancet Reg Health West Pac Date: 2022-02-23