Estimated incidence rate of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) linked to laundered reusable healthcare textiles (HCTs) in the United States and United Kingdom over a 50-year period: Do the data support the efficacy of approved laundry practices?

Greening Infection Prevention and Control: Multifaceted Approaches to a Sustainable Future

Infection prevention and control, or IP&C, is a critical stakeholder in advancing environmental sustainability in health care. IP&C activities seek to ensure safety of processes in health care from an infection perspective, but how these are performed can drive substantial waste and pollution. There are certain IP&C measures that can, without compromising safety or efficiency, be adapted to more environmentally friendly practices and have a high impact benefit to sustainability without affecting patient outcomes. Moreover, IP&C practice stands to be significantly altered by climate change and pollution. Here, we describe the complex interdependence between sustainability, climate change, and IP&C, and opportunities for IP&C to be at the leading edge of optimizing healthcare's environmental footprint.

Climate change and environmental sustainability in otolaryngology: A state-of-the-art review

BACKGROUND

Climate change has been identified by the World Health Organization (WHO) as the greatest existing threat to human health. Given the direct exposure of the upper aerodigestive system to pollutants, patients in otolaryngology are at high risk for increased disease burden in the setting of climate change and worsening air quality. Given this and the environmental impact of surgical care, it is essential for surgeons to understand their role in addressing climate health through quality-driven clinical initiatives, education, advocacy, and research.

METHODS

A state-of-the-art review was performed of the existing literature on the otolaryngologic health impacts of climate change and environmental sustainability efforts in surgery with specific attention to studies in otolaryngology - head and neck surgery.

FINDINGS

Climate variables including heat and air pollution are associated with increased incidence of allergic rhinitis, chronic rhinosinusitis and head and neck cancer. A number of studies have shown that sustainability initiatives in otolaryngology are safe and provide direct cost benefit.

CONCLUSION

Surgeons have the opportunity to lead on climate health and sustainability to address the public health burden of climate change.

Does reusable mean green? Comparison of the environmental impact of reusable operating room bed covers and lift sheets versus single-use

INTRODUCTION

As hospitals strive to reduce their environmental footprint, there is an ongoing debate over the environmental implications of reusable versus disposable linens in operating rooms (ORs). This research aimed to compare the environmental impact of reusable versus single-use OR bed covers and lift sheets using life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology.

METHODS

LCA is an established tool with rigorous methodology that uses science-based processes to measure environmental impact. This study compared the impacts of three independent system scenarios at a single large academic hospital: reusable bed covers with 50 laundry cycles and subsequent landfill disposal (System 1), single-use bed covers with waste landfill disposal (System 2), and single-use bed covers with waste disposal using incineration (System 3).

RESULTS

The total carbon footprint of System 1 for 50 uses was 19.83 ​kg carbon dioxide equivalents (CO2-eq). System 2 generated 64.99 ​kg CO2-eq. For System 3, the total carbon footprint was 108.98 ​kg CO2-eq. The raw material extraction for all the material to produce an equivalent 50 single-use OR bed cover kits was tenfold more carbon-intensive than the reusable bed cover. Laundering one reusable OR bed cover 50 times was more carbon intensive (12.12 ​kg CO2-eq) than landfill disposal of 50 single-use OR bed covers (2.52 ​kg CO2-eq).

DISCUSSION

Our analysis demonstrates that one reusable fabric-based OR bed cover laundered 50 times, despite the carbon and water-intensive laundering process, exhibits a markedly lower carbon footprint than its single-use counterparts. The net difference is 45.16 ​kg CO2-eq, equivalent to driving 115 miles in an average gasoline-powered passenger vehicle. This stark contrast underscores the efficacy of adopting reusable solutions to mitigate environmental impact within healthcare facilities.