The easiest way for managers to monitor waste is by setting up a waste prevention and segregation improvement programme. The 'how-to' guidance in the resources section provides direction on how to set this up in your healthcare facility.

Waste benchmarks

Benchmarking (comparing facilities) is a good way to track waste generation.

We have waste benchmarks for:

• healthcare risk waste
• general waste
• food waste
• recycling

See our waste benchmarks for Irish healthcare facilities (PDF, 198KB, 1 page)

Calculating your benchmark

Our benchmarking is based on the number of patient bed days available. A patient bed day is a day during which a person is confined to a bed and stays overnight in hospital.

To get a waste benchmark for your facility

Divide the total waste (mixed and recycling) per month by the number of patient bed days for that month.

This calculation can be done per month or per year.

Resources

HSE Waste Policy 2016 (PDF, 111KB, 10 pages)

Waste Management Handbook 2014 (PDF, 4.55MB, 52 pages)

COVID-19 Waste Management Standard Operating Procedure (PDF, 129 KB, 2 pages)

Waste Surveys

How to set up a waste prevention and improvement programme (PDF, 1.36MB, 6 pages)

How to undertake a bin placement survey (PDF, 1.77MB, 4 pages)

How to undertake a detailed waste survey (PDF, 2.60MB, 5 pages)

How to undertake a detailed waste survey – weight record sheet (Word file, 58.5KB, 1 page)

How to undertake a detailed waste survey – waste composition sheet (Excel file, 290KB)

Benchmarks

Benchmarks and savings worksheet - acute hospital (Excel file, 41.5KB)

Benchmarks and savings worksheet - non-acute facility (Excel file 42.3KB)

Healthcare waste benchmarks (JPEG, 163KB, 1 page)

Food waste

How to assess overall food waste (PDF, 1.92MB, 3 pages)

How to undertake a detailed food waste survey – plated system (PDF, 2.89MB, 4 pages)

How to undertake a detailed food waste survey – bulk system (PDF, 4.18MB, 4 pages)

How to undertake a detailed food waste survey – food waste calculator (Excel File, 248KB)

Benchmarks and savings worksheet - food waste (Excel File 248KB)