Assessing waste management, recycling practices, and staff attitudes towards recycling in a single-centre tertiary-level intensive care unit

Introduction: Intensive care units (ICUs) are major contributors to waste production within the healthcare sector; however, implementing recycling initiatives in the ICU has several logistical barriers. The aim of this study was to assess the total amount of waste produced by the Flinders Medical Centre (FMC) ICU and the proportion of that waste suitable for alternative waste streams as well as staff perspectives before and after introduction of the waste diversion initiative. 

Materials and methods: A waste audit was performed within the FMC ICU to quantify waste output and determine the suitability for individual items to be diverted from landfill to more sustainable streams. A survey was distributed to staff within the unit before and after implementation of the initiative to assess staff attitudes towards waste management practices. 

Results: The audit demonstrated that the unit produces approximately 2000 kg of waste per week and that 92% (269/290) of the individual waste items produced were suitable for diversion from landfill to an alternative waste stream. In the pre-implementation survey, 95% (56/82) of respondents demonstrated an interest in increasing recycling within the unit and the most often reported barriers were lack of recycling facilities and inadequate information. In the post-implementation survey, 92% (49/53) of participants demonstrated an interest in continuing to increase recycling within the unit, 83% (44/53) of respondents reported improvements in the handling of waste within the unit, and 72% (38/53) felt the education was appropriate, while 79% (42/53) were confident in their ability to accurately dispose of waste in the correct stream. 

Conclusions: The FMC ICU has the capacity to significantly reduce landfill waste via alternative waste streams. It was demonstrated that effective waste diversion is possible, and staff showed an ongoing interest in improving waste management practices before and after implementation of the changes.