Operating rooms in hospitals are a large part of the Australian healthcare system’s greenhouse gas emissions, and there are various barriers making it hard to reduce the waste they produce, according to Australian research. A team reviewed previous research relating to waste management in operating rooms to identify the challenges to reducing waste and subsequently emissions, and how these challenges could be overcome. The researchers say staff in operating rooms often don’t have quality education on correct waste segregation, and often still reach for single-use products where reusable ones are available because they are concerned about infection risks from reusable products such as masks and they have been taught to prioritise patient safety above all else. Changes to improve waste management are often expensive in the short term despite their long-term benefits, the researchers add.
