Sustainable anesthesia: Reducing supply waste in the operating room

Abstract:

Background and purpose: This quality improvement project aimed to reduce anesthesia supply waste through an educational intervention, focusing on decreasing the volume of opened, unused supplies and increasing cost savings. Purpose: Operating rooms generate 70% of hospital waste, with anesthesia supplies contributing 25%. Joint Commission infection control standards require disposal of opened single-use devices, adding to financial strain and environmental harm. A review of literature showed that anesthesia providers lack knowledge of waste reduction strategies and cost implications, but educational interventions improve knowledge and promote sustainable practices.
Methods: This project was granted IRB exemption in December 2024. Baseline data was collected over 10 days (2 weeks) in October 2024 across 27 ORs. Opened, unused single use items were collected, photographed and priced using department purchasing data. Findings were presented in January 2025 during Grand Rounds and post-class sessions to Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists, Student Registered Nurse Anesthetists, and anesthesiologists, incorporating photos, baseline data, and sustainability recommendations from the American Society of Anesthesiologists’ “Greening the OR” document. Reinforcement was provided through emails and flyers. Post-intervention data was collected over an identical time-period in January, using uniform methods.
Results: Results showed a 48% reduction in waste volume, from 404 to 194 items, with monetary loss decreasing from $1,163.10 to $414.55, yielding $748.55 in savings. This results in an estimated yearly savings of $18,713.75.
Conclusions: Healthcare waste is unsustainable both financially and environmentally, and this project provides a practical, replicable strategy to reduce its impact. Despite limitations such as the brief timeframe, education was associated with meaningful reductions in supply waste and supports the integration of sustainability-focused education into anesthesia practice.

• Keywords:
• Anesthesia supply waste; Cost savings; Environmental sustainability

• Received:
• November 26, 2025
• Accepted:
• January 30, 2026
• Published:
• February 24, 2026

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