SHM Converge Scientific Abstract ePoster Gallery-The Plastic Pandemic: Quantification of Waste on an Inpatient Medicine Unit

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This study quantified waste produced on a 20-bed inpatient general medicine unit at Massachusetts General Hospital over a 24-hour period in August 2021. Nearly all solid waste was collected and separated into municipal solid waste (MSW) and regulated medical waste (RMW).<br /><br />A total of 168 kg of waste was generated. Most of it was MSW (149.5 kg, 88.8%), while RMW accounted for 18.9 kg (11.2%). More than half of MSW was plastic, and personal protective equipment (PPE) was the largest contributor. PPE made up about 70% of plastic MSW and more than one-third of all waste. In one day, the unit discarded 559 polypropylene gowns, 2,541 plastic gloves, 86 masks, and 20 face shields/goggles. Waste per patient per day was approximately 8 kg total, including 3 kg of PPE and 28 gowns.<br /><br />Only a small portion of waste was unused items such as IV tubing, glove boxes, and underpads, which accounted for about 5% of MSW. The authors concluded that the waste stream was dominated by single-use plastics, especially PPE, reflecting both pandemic-related practices and a longstanding reliance on disposable products in healthcare.<br /><br />The waste generated in this single day was estimated to produce 0.54 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions, comparable to driving 1,350 miles, charging 65,322 smartphones, or burning 594 lbs of coal. The study recommends reducing waste through reusable PPE, reassessing MRSA and VRE contact precaution policies, and improving staff education and care clustering to minimize unnecessary disposable use.

Asset Subtitle

Jonathan Eisen

Meta Tag

Author List Christian Mewaldt, Jonathan Eisen

Category Innovations

Concept Personal Protective Equipment

Concept Municipal Solid Waste

Concept Regulated Medical Waste

Concept Single-Use Plastics

Concept Waste Reduction

Distinguished Non-Finalist

Presenter Organization Massachusetts General Hospital

Presenting Author Jonathan Eisen

Track Quality Improvement

Keywords

hospital waste

medical waste

personal protective equipment

single-use plastics

municipal solid waste

regulated medical waste

greenhouse gas emissions

inpatient unit

waste reduction

reusable PPE

Personal Protective Equipment

Municipal Solid Waste

Regulated Medical Waste

Single-Use Plastics

Waste Reduction