Authors:   Grimmond T and Reiner S

Publication:   Waste Management & Research 2012; 30: Pages 639-642 

Summary: 

What was the study? 

The 2 year study, ‘Impact on Carbon Footprint: An LCA of Disposable vs Reusable Sharps Containers in a large US Hospital’ was conducted in an 850 bed acute care facility to determine the reduction of GHG Emissions from the Daniels Sharpsmart sharps container.

What were the results?

The greenhouse gas emissions associated with manufacture, transport, washing, treatment and disposal were assessed over 12 months in both systems. GHG were expressed as metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions (MTCO2eq).

Results showed that in converting to the Daniels Sharpsmart reusable sharps container, the facility had per annum.

• 84% reduction in GHG associated with sharps container usage
• 127 metric ton reduction in GHG
• 93% reduction in the manufacture of sharps containers
• 99.9% reduction in the number of plastic sharps containers landfilled

The 84% reduction of CO2eq emissions with the Daniels Sharpsmart sharps containers exceeds the 2020 reduction target for US federal hospitals and the 2050 target for UK NHS hospitals. If Daniels Sharpsmart reusable sharps containers were used nationally in the US, we estimate annual US hospital GWP would fall by 64,000 MTCO2eq."

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