An Investigation Into Contaminated Waste Composition in a University Dental Clinic: Opportunities for Sustainability in Dentistry
ABSTRACT Objectives Many international dental organizations have been advocating for sustainable practices in dentistry, whereby significant reductions in environmental impacts are needed. The aim of this study was to analyze dental clinical waste in a university clinic setting to explore opportunit...
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| Format: | Article |
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Wiley
2024-12-01
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| Series: | Clinical and Experimental Dental Research |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/cre2.70015 |
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| author | Samuel Yeoh Yani Bourdamis Adam Saker Noah Marano Liam Maundrell Poornima Ramamurthy Dileep Sharma |
| author_facet | Samuel Yeoh Yani Bourdamis Adam Saker Noah Marano Liam Maundrell Poornima Ramamurthy Dileep Sharma |
| author_sort | Samuel Yeoh |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | ABSTRACT Objectives Many international dental organizations have been advocating for sustainable practices in dentistry, whereby significant reductions in environmental impacts are needed. The aim of this study was to analyze dental clinical waste in a university clinic setting to explore opportunities for sustainable practices. Material and Methods Fifty dental units (chairs) that are routinely used in delivery of dental treatment and involved supervising clinicians, dental students, and patients were randomly selected, and the clinical waste generated was collected, segregated, and weighed. Statistical analysis was performed to analyze differences in waste production based on treatment performed. Results The mean waste production generated by each chair was 81.4 g of aprons, 56.2 g of gloves, 17.2 g of masks, 24.0 g of sterile wrappings, 48.8 g of other plastics, 100.8 g of cellulose‐based items, and 25.8 g of miscellaneous items. Higher waste was generated from the chairs performing endodontic procedures when compared with examinations. A potential annual greenhouse gas saving of approximately 10 kg CO2e per year (when one patient is treated daily) can be achieved if sterile wrapping plastics were to be recycled. Conclusions Simple yet achievable opportunities for efficient clinical waste management at university clinics exist, which in turn will increase environmental sustainability in the post‐COVID‐19 era. Increased awareness and incentives for sustainable measures could potentially enhance the possibility of wider adoption of ecofriendly approaches. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-4bd37140f791400ab4e7bbfd0313012a |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2057-4347 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Clinical and Experimental Dental Research |
| spelling | doaj-art-4bd37140f791400ab4e7bbfd0313012a2025-08-20T02:52:09ZengWileyClinical and Experimental Dental Research2057-43472024-12-01106n/an/a10.1002/cre2.70015An Investigation Into Contaminated Waste Composition in a University Dental Clinic: Opportunities for Sustainability in DentistrySamuel Yeoh0Yani Bourdamis1Adam Saker2Noah Marano3Liam Maundrell4Poornima Ramamurthy5Dileep Sharma6College of Medicine and Dentistry James Cook University Cairns Queensland AustraliaCollege of Medicine and Dentistry James Cook University Cairns Queensland AustraliaCollege of Medicine and Dentistry James Cook University Cairns Queensland AustraliaCollege of Medicine and Dentistry James Cook University Cairns Queensland AustraliaCollege of Medicine and Dentistry James Cook University Cairns Queensland AustraliaCollege of Medicine and Dentistry James Cook University Cairns Queensland AustraliaCollege of Medicine and Dentistry James Cook University Cairns Queensland AustraliaABSTRACT Objectives Many international dental organizations have been advocating for sustainable practices in dentistry, whereby significant reductions in environmental impacts are needed. The aim of this study was to analyze dental clinical waste in a university clinic setting to explore opportunities for sustainable practices. Material and Methods Fifty dental units (chairs) that are routinely used in delivery of dental treatment and involved supervising clinicians, dental students, and patients were randomly selected, and the clinical waste generated was collected, segregated, and weighed. Statistical analysis was performed to analyze differences in waste production based on treatment performed. Results The mean waste production generated by each chair was 81.4 g of aprons, 56.2 g of gloves, 17.2 g of masks, 24.0 g of sterile wrappings, 48.8 g of other plastics, 100.8 g of cellulose‐based items, and 25.8 g of miscellaneous items. Higher waste was generated from the chairs performing endodontic procedures when compared with examinations. A potential annual greenhouse gas saving of approximately 10 kg CO2e per year (when one patient is treated daily) can be achieved if sterile wrapping plastics were to be recycled. Conclusions Simple yet achievable opportunities for efficient clinical waste management at university clinics exist, which in turn will increase environmental sustainability in the post‐COVID‐19 era. Increased awareness and incentives for sustainable measures could potentially enhance the possibility of wider adoption of ecofriendly approaches.https://doi.org/10.1002/cre2.70015clinical wasteenvironmental sustainabilityuniversity dental clinic |
| spellingShingle | Samuel Yeoh Yani Bourdamis Adam Saker Noah Marano Liam Maundrell Poornima Ramamurthy Dileep Sharma An Investigation Into Contaminated Waste Composition in a University Dental Clinic: Opportunities for Sustainability in Dentistry Clinical and Experimental Dental Research clinical waste environmental sustainability university dental clinic |
| title | An Investigation Into Contaminated Waste Composition in a University Dental Clinic: Opportunities for Sustainability in Dentistry |
| title_full | An Investigation Into Contaminated Waste Composition in a University Dental Clinic: Opportunities for Sustainability in Dentistry |
| title_fullStr | An Investigation Into Contaminated Waste Composition in a University Dental Clinic: Opportunities for Sustainability in Dentistry |
| title_full_unstemmed | An Investigation Into Contaminated Waste Composition in a University Dental Clinic: Opportunities for Sustainability in Dentistry |
| title_short | An Investigation Into Contaminated Waste Composition in a University Dental Clinic: Opportunities for Sustainability in Dentistry |
| title_sort | investigation into contaminated waste composition in a university dental clinic opportunities for sustainability in dentistry |
| topic | clinical waste environmental sustainability university dental clinic |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/cre2.70015 |
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