Hospital endoscopic procedure volume and waste generated during 5-day audit
| All | Low endoscopy volume centre | High endoscopy volume centre | Relative difference* | |
| Endoscopic procedures per year, n | 15 000 | 2000 | 13 000 | 6.50 |
| Procedures performed during 5-day audit, n | 278 | 37 | 241 | 6.51 |
| Colonoscopies, n | 135 | 21 | 114 | 5.43 |
| EGD, n | 112 | 10 | 102 | 10.20 |
| ERCP, n | 7 | 2 | 5 | 2.50 |
| EUS, n | 17 | 1 | 16 | 16.00 |
| Sigmoidoscopy, n | 7 | 3 | 4 | 1.33 |
| Waste produced during 5-day audit† | ||||
| Volume, n trash bins (20 Ga or 76 L) | 190 | 19 | 171 | 8.95 |
| Mass, kg | 619 | 73 | 546 | 7.51 |
| Waste per endoscopy | ||||
| Volume, n bins (20 Gal or 76 L) | 0.61 | 0.52 | 0.71 | 1.37 |
| Direct landfill waste, n bins (%) | 0.41 (67) | 0.38 (74) | 0.43 (61) | |
| Biohazard waste, n bins (%) | 0.10 (17) | 0.14 (26) | 0.07 (10) | |
| Recycled waste, n bins (%) | 0.10 (17) | 0 (0) | 0.21 (29) | |
| Volume, m3 | 0.05 | 0.04 | 0.05 | 1.37 |
| Mass, in kg | 2.11 | 1.96 | 2.27 | 1.15 |
| Direct landfill waste, kg (%) | 1.34 (64) | 1.33 (68) | 1.36 (60) | 1.03 |
| Biohazard waste, kg (%) | 0.59 (28) | 0.64 (32) | 0.54 (24) | 0.85 |
| Recycled waste, kg (%) | 0.18 (9) | 0 (0) | 36 (16) | – |
| Waste of reprocessing one endoscope | ||||
| Volume, trash bins (20 Gal or 75 L) | 0.07 | N/A | 0.08 | – |
| Volume, m3 | 0.005 | N/A | 0.006 | – |
| Mass, kg | 0.30 | N/A | 0.33 | – |
N/A, not available
*High vs low volume centre.
†Without reprocessing of endoscopes.
EGD, esophagogastroduodenoscopy; ERCP, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography; EUS, endoscopic ultrasound.