Waste Segregation Practice in Operating Theatres and Endoscopy Suites Survey in Australasian Hospitals: A Perspective from Anaesthesia and Gastrointestinal Endoscopy Nurses

Objective: Healthcare services globally face a pressing need for environmental sustainability due to their significant resource usage and greenhouse gas emissions. Effective waste management depends on waste services and facility commitment. Aim: This project about workplace practice of waste segregation from the point of view of gastrointestinal endoscopy and perianaesthesia nurses aims to assess current sustainability practices to guide future initiatives. Methods: A survey was developed by the Australasian College of Perianaesthesia Nurses (ACPAN) and Gastroenterological Nurses' College of Australasia (GENCA) and distributed by email to their members. Results: There were 98 respondents who worked in 88 different departments. Many of the hospitals (58%) had a sustainability committee with often a representative from the operating theatre/endoscopy department (72%). 56% of departments reported the use of biodegradable items, 44% used compostable items and 35% disposed of medication in an environmentally friendly manner. 7% of the responders were confident in their knowledge about waste segregation, and this increased if waste segregation was implemented at a hospital level. Engagement and compliance in waste segregation were different among team members with medical professionals scoring less than nursing staff. Environmental sustainability regarding supplier or consumable selection was considered in respectively 22% and 48% of the departments. Barriers and enablers for waste segregation were reported. Conclusions: There is an urgent need for comprehensive education for all healthcare staff members. The support and engagement of higher management are essential for success as such enablers are difficult to establish at a unit/ department level. We advise the introduction of a national framework to address waste segregation challenges and provide a practicable pathway to allow hospitals to implement segregated waste streams, regardless of their scale and location.