Economic and Environmental Impact of Single-use Plastics at a Large Ophthalmology Outpatient Service

التفاصيل البيبلوغرافية
العنوان: Economic and Environmental Impact of Single-use Plastics at a Large Ophthalmology Outpatient Service
المؤلفون: Elli A Park, Kara C. LaMattina
المصدر: Journal of glaucoma. 29(12)
سنة النشر: 2020
مصطلحات موضوعية: medicine.medical_specialty, genetic structures, Gonioscopy, Environment, Outpatient service, Medical Waste, 03 medical and health sciences, Tonometry, Ocular, 0302 clinical medicine, Ophthalmology, medicine, Ambulatory Care, Humans, Environmental impact assessment, Disposable Equipment, Economic Factors, Intraocular Pressure, Academic Medical Centers, Single use, medicine.diagnostic_test, business.industry, Applanation tonometer, eye diseases, 030221 ophthalmology & optometry, Plastic waste, sense organs, Health Services Research, business, Plastics, 030217 neurology & neurosurgery, Boston
الوصف: PReCIS:: The use of disposable tonometer prisms and gonioscopy lenses at a large ophthalmology outpatient service incurs significant financial and environmental waste that may not be justified given the limited data surrounding arguments for their use. Purpose To quantify the economic and environmental burden of single-use plastics from an ophthalmology outpatient service at a large tertiary hospital and describe the relative value and evidence for the safety of disposable versus nondisposable tonometer prisms and gonioscopy lenses. Methods The total number of single-use applanation tonometer prisms and gonioscopy lenses used per year at Boston Medical Center (BMC) was estimated, and the average dollars spent and plastic waste generated in kilograms per year were then determined. These values were compared with the total spending and waste that would be produced if the clinic were to use nondisposable tonometer prisms and gonioscopy lenses exclusively. Results Single-use tonometer prisms cost an average of $70,282 per year and produce ~100.8 kg of plastic waste per year at BMC. Single-use gonioscopy lenses cost ~$9,040 per year and produce 8.8 kg of plastic waste per year at BMC. An excess of $65,185 and 109.6 kg of plastic waste could be avoided each year by only using nondisposable tonometer prisms and gonioscopy lenses at the BMC ophthalmology outpatient service. Conclusions Single-use plastics in ophthalmology outpatient services generate significant environmental waste and financial cost compared with nondisposable instruments. This cost may outweigh the benefits of these instruments given the limited data surrounding arguments for their use.
تدمد: 1536-481X
URL الوصول: https://explore.openaire.eu/search/publication?articleId=doi_dedup___::d64fddaeb578c9c50db10eea931483b3
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32910012
حقوق: OPEN
رقم الأكسشن: edsair.doi.dedup.....d64fddaeb578c9c50db10eea931483b3
قاعدة البيانات: OpenAIRE