Recycling cautery cords

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MitigationScope 3🏥Surgery

Needle Nudger (>0.5 tCO₂e or <1 tCO₂e per primary practice)

Climate Impact

0.04 tCO₂e

Absolute GHG Reduction

Financial Impact

ImplicationsLow Saving ($0-$25,000)

SavingsCA$19,950

MethodologyFor 25,000 operations annually

ROIImmediate

Implementation Feasibility

Investment

Medium

Team Size

Small but mighty

Timeline

6–12 months

The Problem

Cautery cords are medical cables that deliver electrical energy to help cut, coagulate and remove tissue during surgeries. These cables contain recyclable and valuable materials such as copper that would otherwise go to landfill.

The Solution

Separate collection of cautery cords for recycling can recover valuable metal contents such as copper. This creates both emissions and financial savings for the hospital. Revenue from selling the scrap metal can be re-invested in other green initiatives.

Implementation Steps

1Form a multidisciplinary team including clinical staff, facilities management, and sustainability champions to lead the initiative.

2Identify a licensed medical equipment recycler or scrap facility that specializes in recovering precious metals and copper from cautery cords.

3Establish a collection protocol and dock-out process, utilizing provided containers or compactors for accumulating used cords.

4Obtain necessary authorizations from infection control and clinical leadership to ensure collection methods meet safety and HIPAA standards.

5Educate surgical and nursing staff on the environmental impact of cord recycling and the specific sorting requirements for the program.

6Monitor recovery metrics and celebrate the volume of material diverted from landfills and the costs recovered through metal refining.

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References & Evidence

UHN: Converting Surgical Waste into Sustainable Solutions

Reference document

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