LAUSR

The topic of pollution and global warming has dominated debate within media and government for many years. The current global warming trends are thought likely to be a consequence of the behavior of humans since the mid-twentieth century [1]. The scale of pollution and carbon footprint generated by industry, particularly in rapidly developing economies, is staggering and often leads to a feeling of helplessness and apathy amongst individuals when it comes to personal environmental responsibility [2]. Healthcare and indeed radiology departments contribute significantly to the world’s carbon footprint, and the demand for water and electricity to power our hospitals is largely unavoidable, although significant improvements have been explored such as powering down and using ‘‘sleep mode’’ on computer monitors [3] and use of LED lighting [4]. Interventional radiology contributes to a large portion of hospital waste, with many items used containing extensive packaging and single-use items. Recycling and waste limitation is often not a high priority with many interventional radiologists. It is becoming increasingly important that we all contribute to the promotion of recycling and reduction in unnecessary packaging in order to reduce hospital wastage. With a bit of thought and effort, interventional radiologists can make a real difference in reducing waste and promoting recycling. Interventional radiology has traditionally pioneered modern medicine in offering minimally invasive alternatives to surgical intervention and offering value to patients and hospitals alike while reducing inpatient hospital admissions and length of stay. When it comes to waste and recycling, the healthcare sector is in the midst of a green revolution, and we are at risk of getting left behind. Having a green policy in interventional radiology will make a difference to the quantity of waste we produce and the costs associated with its disposal. The first step to address is staff education and promoting awareness. In our institution, when we examined our practices, we found that often we had only general waste and risk waste bins available during procedures with staff believing that general waste was actually being recycled. It was clear that staff wanted to contribute positively, but clear guidance and education was required. We contacted our hospital environmental services manager and requested a site visit. We learned that virtually all of the packaging from our products was recyclable, free of charge to the hospital. Almost all of this packaging had previously