262 Clean and Green: Sustainability in the Operating Theatre

Abstract Aim Surgical scrubbing is an essential part of surgery, yet it still generates substantial waste. Reducing water waste in scrubbing is important for environmental impact. Our study focuses on assessing the amount of water used during a surgical hand scrub and to determine the percentage of water actively used during the procedure. Method Surgical scrubbing was observed in one operating theatre and included healthcare practitioners who routinely performed surgical scrubbing. Participants were not informed of the study to avoid altering their behaviour. The mean flow rate of water was determined by measuring the volume of water collected for 1 minute and using a standard density of 997kg/m³. The total time of water flowing, and time of water being used for each surgical scrubbing episode were recorded. Results Thirty-five scrubbing episodes were recorded. The average time for which the tap was turned on during surgical scrubbing was 1min 52s (maximum: 3min 7s; minimum: 1min 2s; SD: 29s). The flow rate of the tap was approximately 7.13L/min, resulting in an average of 13.30L of water used per scrub. The mean time of water being actively used during the procedure was 27s (maximum: 1min 2s; minimum: 10s; SD: 3.76s). The mean percentage of water actively used per surgical scrubbing was 23.61% (maximum: 37.69%; minimum: 51.33%; SD: 2.25%). Conclusions Only 23.61% of water is being actively used per scrubbing episode. This reveals the potential to decrease water during surgical hand scrubbing without compromising hygiene practices.