Sustainability Of Stainless-Steel Instruments: Comparing Disposables, Recycling, And Reusables In Cataract Surgery
Published 2024 - 42nd Congress of the ESCRS
Reference: FP19.11 | Type: Free paper | DOI: 10.82333/ahxn-bv80
Authors: Daan Pelgrim 1 , Jesus Rosales Carreon 2 , Sjoerd Elferink 3 , Oliver Findl 4 , Redmer van Leeuwen 5 , Casper Van Der Zee* 5
1Utrecht University,Utrecht,Netherlands, 2Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development,Utrecht University,Utrecht,Netherlands, 3Ophthalmology,Flevo Hospital,Almere,Netherlands, 4Institute for Research in Ocular Surgery,Hanusch Hospital Karl Landsteiner Institute,Vienna,Austria, 5Ophthalmology,UMC Utrecht ,Utrecht,Netherlands
Purpose
To report on the sustainability of disposables, recycling, and reusables for stainless-steel instruments used in cataract surgery.
Setting
This study compares the environmental pressure in three scenarios using: disposables, recycling disposables, and reusables in a Dutch health care environment.
Methods
Building on previously conducted life-cycle assessment studies, this research employs a material flow analysis and energy flow analysis. Three distinct scenarios were evaluated —reuse and recycle— within the framework of circular economy, analyzing the system boundaries from mining up until waste management.
Results
The material- and energy flow analyses indicated that the first scenario with disposable tools poses challenges in achieving circularity and energy efficiency. The second scenario (recycling) reports major carbon emission reduction (>50%) and a shift towards circularity trough reintegrating high quality steel in the European market. Scenario 3 (reusables) reflects the highest reduction in carbon emissions (>60%), yet ab imperfect circularity design. This indicated that the reuse and recycle strategy both perform substantially better.
Conclusions
The study emphasizes the carbon impact of recycling and reusing cataract surgery instruments. The scenario of neither recycling, nor reusing instruments reported to have the highest negative impact on both waste management and carbon emissions. The reusing scenario reported the highest carbon reduction, yet recycling shows to be an opportunity for a circular waste environment. Both arguably just as important. This paper provides nuanced insights to support decision-making for a more sustainable landscape of stainless-steel instruments for cataract surgery.