Glass recycling in the labour suite is environmentally sound and economical

Glass bottles are used for the storage of local anaesthetics in the US and are recyclable. Recycling would result in hospital solid waste reduction. The members of the Department of Anaesthesia were surveyed to determine where these local anaesthetic bottles were disposed of. From November 2002 to April 2003, glass bottles used on the labour and delivery suite were saved for recycling. The number of bottles and the weight recycled were recorded. The number of procedures involving anaesthesia were also recorded during this time period. Residents dispose of the local anaesthetic bottle in the sharps container while consultants dispose of them in the trash (P