Using Education to Promote Waste Segregation and Waste Reduction in the Operating Room: A Quality Improvement Initiative

Background: The operating room (OR) is known to be one of the largest producers of medical waste and of the surgical specialties, orthopedic surgery tends to the largest portion of this. Waste from the OR can be mitigated by recycling non-contaminated materials. This reduces the number of raw materials needed to create new products, decreases landfill use, and lowers hospital costs. Local Problem: It was observed that a gap in knowledge existed related to recyclables in the OR of a large medical center in New England. Also, it was observed that there was potential for waste and recycling to be more accurately segregated and for blue wrap to be separated from general recycling. Specific Aims: The aim was to increase circulating nurses’ and surgical technologists’ confidence in knowledge of recyclables in the operating room. Additionally, the aim was to increase the proportion of recycling by 15%, increase the accuracy of recycling to 95%, and increase the accuracy of blue sterilization wrap segregation to 100%. Methods: The Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) model was used for implementation. Pre- and post-education waste audits of primary total knee arthroplasties were performed to assess recycling, blue wrap, and waste. Pre- and post-education surveys were utilized to assess staff confidence. Interventions: An educational presentation was given to orthopedic surgical service circulating nurses and surgical technologists. Additionally, a visual poster board was displayed in the staff breakroom. Results: Survey data indicated an increase between pre- and post-education confidence in staff, which met the specific aim. Waste audit data showed a 26% increase in pre-operative proportions of recycling and an approximate 4% decrease in blue wrap by weight. There was a decrease in recycling accuracy by 6.6% but an increase of about 25% in the accuracy of blue wrap segregation post-intervention. Conclusion: Education for a subset of perioperative staff aided in increased confidence in recycling in the OR. Further improvements in staff confidence, recycling, and blue sterilization wrap segregation throughout surgical specialties may be possible through additional education and physical resources

DEFRA Clothing Action Plan

As part of Defra’s Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP) programme, a voluntary clothing industry initiative was co-ordinated by Defra with the aim to improve the environmental and ethical performance of clothing. The Sustainable Clothing Roadmap aims to improve the environmental and social performance of clothing, building on existing initiatives and by co-ordinating action by key clothing supply chain stakeholders. Although organisations in the clothing supply chain have already taken significant steps to reduce adverse environmental and social impacts, further industry-wide co-operation and agreed commitments will enable that process to accelerate. That is the rationale behind the collaborative nature of the roadmap. The DEFRA initiative is now a WRAP (Waste Resources Action Plan) initiative. Centre for Sustainable Fashion participate on the WRAP steering group and the sub groups on design and recycling. Dilys Williams advised this report's lead author

Sustainable Retailing – Influencing Consumer Behaviour on Food Waste

The aim of this research was to examine the influence of a UK national retailer on its customers' food waste behaviour. Using six communication channels (in‐store magazine, e‐newsletter, Facebook site, product stickers and in‐store demonstrations), Asda presented standard food waste reduction messages to its customers during two time limited periods in 2014 and 2015. Six national surveys over 21 months tracked customers' self‐reported food waste. Our results showed that the combined communication channels and repeated messages over time had a significant effect on reducing food waste of customers. Surprisingly, customers who said they did not recall seeing the messages also reduced their food waste, showing the wider influence of interventions. Those who saw a food waste reduction message saved an estimated £81 annually from reducing food waste. The main conclusion of this paper is that retailers can influence the pro‐environmental behaviour of customers using conventional communication channels; however, repeat messages are needed in order to have a long‐term impact

Prioritized Pallets

Plastic waste has become an environmental catastrophe with over 5 trillion tons of plastic currently polluting our waters. More than 380 million metric tons of plastic are produced every year, only 2 million tons of which are actually recycled. Globally, 100 companies are responsible for 90% of the pollution, with Home Depot ranking 54th. Plastic wrap used for palletizing products appears to be the company\u27s most significant contributor to waste. This wrap is typically made in 8lb rolls up to 1,500ft, enough to span nearly 5 football fields. A single aisle contains 20+ pallets that use plastic wrap to secure products, in addition to the 32 rolls of plastic wrap used daily. In one Home Depot, there are overhead storage areas in most of the 65 isles, receiving area, and the outside lumber and garden area that use the plastic wrap. This plastic wrap is used at Home Depot stores nation-wide, as well as other big-name retail stores. To reduce the use of plastic wrap, two prototypes were developed as long-term reusable alternatives. Requirements included the ability to be reused and durable enough to withstand palletization. The first prototype is an air-tight sealed bag that can be placed on top of products and vacuumed sealed to the pallet to be placed in overhead storage. The second prototype is the treasure chest-style pallet where the products are covered by a rigid tray and wrapped in a durable and flexible material. Not only do these concepts help to reduce plastic waste, but they save companies money by reducing operating costs and the number of work-related spinal injuries

Addressing the Food Loss and Waste Challenge – a WRAP perspective

Unsustainable production and consumption of food constitutes one of the biggest environmental threats to our planet. Eliminating food loss and waste to the largest extent possible – at all stages from producer to final consumer – stands out as an urgent and indispensable step towards more sustainable food systems. In fact, recent research shows that tackling food waste is the third most effective intervention to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the most important priority of our time (Hawken 2017). The United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 12.3 sets out a specific target on food waste to halve per capita global food waste at the retail and consumer levels and reduce food losses along production and supply chains, including post-harvest losses, by 2030. In order to measure global progress towards SDG 12.3, two indices have been proposed: the Food Waste Index (Global Innovation Exchange 2018) and the Food Loss Index (Fabi and English 2018). Successfully achieving SDG 12.3 requires new thinking, new partnerships and new actions to reduce resource use, and increase the efficiency of the production, preservation, processing and distribution of food at the producer, intermediary, processor and wholesale level. It needs wider education, increased awareness, and behavioural change among citizens, retailers, and policy makers across the globe. The goal is to produce more food to feed the world’s expanding population, while reducing land use, fertilizer applications and critically dramatically reducing greenhouse gas emissions (Flanagan et al. 2019). To help deliver this critical target, Champions 12.3 has been formed (Champions 12.3 2016). It is a unique coalition of executives from governments, businesses, international organizations, research institutions, and civil society dedicated to inspiring ambition, mobilizing action, and accelerating progress toward achieving SDG Target 12.3. It has produced a trajectory for delivering 12.3, what needs to happen and by when that provides the critical “roadmap for change” (Champions 12.3 2017a). In this paper we provide the perspective of WRAP (the Waste and Resources Action Programme) on the economic, social and environmental case for action, what research shows works in driving change and how these activities might be scaled to deliver SDG 12.3. WRAP is a not for profit organization, based in the UK and working in more than 20 countries worldwide, that aims to help people and planet thrive. WRAP is a leader in tackling food loss and waste effectively and supporting international food loss and waste prevention projects – including Champions 12.3. Since 2007, WRAP has been a partner in many global food loss and waste projects and initiatives and has co-authored key reports. This includes EU projects such as FUSIONS (2016) and REFRESH (2020a), as well as the development of the Food Loss and Waste Accounting and Reporting Standard (World Resources Institute 2016). In the UK, WRAP, food businesses and other partners have delivered large-scale interventions to reduce food waste across supply chains, and households for more than ten years (since 2007), supported by UK Governments and by businesses and enabled by a series of collaborative public-private partnerships. WRAP’s work in the UK with its partners has helped reduce food by 27% or 1.7 Mt/y saving food worth £5 billion/ year. Cumulatively the total food waste reduction has been 18.5 Mt worth US$50 billion (WRAP 2020a). This paper highlights the importance of tackling food loss and waste, using specific recent examples from the UK and Mexico. Second, we discuss the business case for addressing food loss and waste. Thirdly we highlighting two approaches that research shows can be particularly effective at driving change at scale, and we conclude by proposing a three-point plan for tackling food waste to deliver SDG 12.3 over the next 10 years

Sustainable Waste Management Project: Home composting promotion in Newcastle

No abstract available

Denim and Silk Ensemble

This asymmetric denim jacket and silk and cotton wrap skirt is a study in sustainable design. The jacket was designed using upcycled Levi’s jeans. Worn jeans were partially disassembled and pieces draped on a dressform to develop the design. Pant legs transform into kimono sleeved and upper and lower back sections. Waistbands were used for the neckband and decorative wrap belt. Hems and seams are stitched in gold cotton thread. Cut edges were finished with a shibori printed cotton. Sashiko embroidery in navy and gold rayon yarn adds emphasis to the jacket. The hand dyed indigo wrap skirt is a zero-waste garment designed using two fabric rectangles. The silk satin organza outer skirt features nui shibori along the lower border. The inside layer is a remnant cotton sateen and has a nui shibori border on the inside center edge

A conceptual and empirical framework to analyze the economics of consumer food waste

We develop a microeconomic model to understand food waste of consumers. We capture at-home and away-from home food consumption and distinguish between food purchases and food consumption. We allow the consumer to choose the rate of food waste at home optimally to maximize her utility. We show that consumer purchases can decline or increase with a cut in the rate of consumer waste, depending on the elasticity of food demand. Using the UK data for poultry in 2012, we also show a case where for a price elastic demand food consumption increases with a reduction in the food waste rate, but food purchases (retail sales) increase

Installment 2 of "Creating a Sustainable Food Future": Reducing Food Loss and Waste

Approximately one out of every four calories grown to feed people is not ultimately consumed by humans. Food is lost and wasted to a varying extent across the globe, across all stages of the food value chain, and across all types of food. As a result, overall global food availability is lower than it would be otherwise, negatively affecting food security and requiring the planet's agriculture system to produce additional food to compensate for the food that is not ultimately consumed by people. The potential benefits of reducing food loss and waste are large. As a strategy for closing the food gap between food available today and food needed in 2050 to adequately feed the planet's projected 9.3 billion people, reducing food loss and waste satisfies each of the development and environmental criteria we introduced in the first installment of the Creating a Sustainable Food Future series. While increasing food availability, reducing food loss and waste can alleviate poverty and provide gender benefits while reducing pressure on ecosystems, climate, and water. Reducing food loss and waste may be one of those rare multiple "win-win" strategies.How can the world go about reducing food loss and waste on a large scale? This installment of the forthcoming "World Resources Report Creating a Sustainable Food Future" addresses that question. This working paper, which will feed into that report, begins by clarifying definitions of food loss and waste, then quantifies the scale of the problem and explores the impact addressing the problem could have on the food gap. The paper then focuses on practical solutions for reducing food loss and waste and presents case studies of successful initiatives. It concludes by offering recommendations for how to scale up reductions in food loss and waste

Sustainable Waste Management Project: Promotion of cloth nappy use in Durham

No abstract available