Hospitals produce an enormous amount of waste. Much of it is a biological hazard from infectious diseases, blood products, and as a result of operations.
Most Hospital waste cannot be recycled or reused due to concerns for sterility. At one time, many hospital drapes were cloth and could be reused. Most surgical instruments can be reused except for some unique instruments. As time has passed, more and more instruments are disposable and can be used only once.
Surgical gloves cannot be reused or recycled, nor can plastic drapes, for the same reasons.
These items are not only used in the operating room but also on the hospital floors and rooms. IV containers are made of polyvinyl. At one time, glass was used for transfusions.
There is a downside to using reusable items in terms of labor, cleaning, and sterilizing items. This becomes expensive in terms of time and personnel.
Hospital and Medical Waste are divided into Regulated and Non-Regulated. Hospitals usually contract with a Medical Waste Provider. States such as California identify wastes and how they must be processed.
A hospital would need to perform an evaluation and cost analysis to determine if it would be a cost advantage. Hospitals have lean operating margins and may have found that waste management depends upon disposable products that are an adverse effect on the environment.
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