A webinar from the Greening the Operating Room Initiative:
Disposable blue sterile wrap, made of polypropylene plastic (#5), is used to wrap kits for different procedures prior to sterilization and delivery to the surgery suite. After the kit is opened, the sterile blue wrap is thrown away, creating approximately 19% of the waste generated in surgical services.
Hospitals have explored a variety of mechanisms for reducing blue wrap waste including recycling this plastic at some sites. But beyond recycling, there is a viable option for source reduction of this material. As a mechanism to reduce the waste generated by blue wrap, and avoid new purchase costs for blue wrap, many organizations are opting to purchase reusable rigid metal sterilization cases to replace the blue wrap. These containers are sterilized and then brought to the OR on the supply cart and generate no waste-except for the occasional filter. While there is an up-front financial investment for the reusable sterilization cases, the payback period is often short, as avoided costs for blue wrap purchase and avoided waste disposal fees quickly add up.
Come and hear from hospitals who have made the transition to reusable hard cases for surgical kits and learn more about the business case for moving your organization in this direction.
Presenter(s):
- Kai Abelkis , Boulder Community Hospital
- Sara Lourie , MetroWest Medical Center
9th February 14:00 - 15:00 US Eastern Time (19:00-20:00 GMT)
