Recycling in the Operating Room: Anesthesiologists Should Take the Lead

Operating rooms are responsible for about 20% to 30% of total hospital waste.¹ The amount that can be recycled varies according to the local recycling facilities available, the motivation of staff and the packaging material used. A recent survey of anesthesiologists in the United States shows that, although the majority of physicians (80%) were interested in recycling, only about one-fourth of them actually