Hasselt (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Jessa Hospital in Hasselt will recycle 1,274 kg of steel laryngoscope blades yearly, cutting waste with partners Renewi, Teleflex, and Greencycl. Frederick Perreman leads this eco-friendly effort.
As VRT News reported, Jessa Hospital in Hasselt has started recycling steel laryngoscope blades from its operating rooms. These blades are key tools used by anesthesiologists when putting breathing tubes into patients’ windpipes during surgeries or emergencies.
Until now, these metal blades were thrown away with medical waste because metal cannot be thrown into regular trash. This caused a lot of steel to be wasted and burned with other medical waste, which harms the environment. The hospital changed this by collecting the used blades separately, sterilising them to ensure safety, and then sending them for recycling.
How is Jessa Hospital cutting 1,274 kg of steel waste annually?
The hospital stops about 1,274 kilograms of steel from being thrown out each year. After sterilisation, the steel blades are melted down and turned into raw materials for the car industry. Frederick Perreman, who manages materials in the operating rooms, says this project lowers the hospital’s environmental impact. The hospital is working with waste management company Renewi, medical supplier Teleflex, and Utrecht-based recycling firm Greencycl to carry out the plan.
The operating room produces around 60% of all the hospital’s waste, making it a major focus of environmental action. Earlier projects have already cut non-hazardous medical waste from the operating room by 35%. Since 2021, a project group and sustainability team have been working to reduce the waste load. Between 2019 and 2024, hazardous medical waste fell by 13 % and non-hazardous waste by 16%.
“The amount of collected paper and cardboard has decreased by about 9%, despite increased sorting,”
says Bert Croux of the sustainability team.
“The amounts of PMD and glass, on the other hand, have increased significantly, indicating better sorting. This represents a 2.5-fold and 5-fold increase, respectively.”
Belgium is making progress in recycling medical waste with new projects in hospitals. The VinylPlus Med pilot collects single-use PVC items like oxygen masks and tubes from several hospitals. Waste firms like Renewi and recyclers such as Raff Plastics work closely to lower transport emissions. About one tonne of clean PVC waste has been recycled into products like floor coverings and rehab equipment. Meanwhile, Jessa Hospital runs a trial turning clean medical plastics into pyrolysis oil. This oil helps produce certified medical-grade plastics.
