Getting creative with trial waste
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All Authors
English, Jena
LTHT Author
English, Jena
LTHT Department
Leeds Cancer Centre
Oncology
Oncology
Non Medic
Research Assistant Practitioner
Publication Date
2025
Item Type
Conference Abstract
Language
Subject
Subject Headings
Abstract
Within early phase research, and across other areas of research, the management of sponsor provided laboratory supplies can present numerous issues to the staff co-ordinating the trial supplies, and for the organisation in terms of storage and disposal.
These issues include but are not limited to, finding suitable storage for the large number of kits provided by sponsor, and finding suitable ways to dispose of clinic items within these kits, due to the high volume of clinical items we receive which either expire or are no longer required.
Historically as a department, these excess or expired clinical items were disposed of following the appropriate hospital waste procedures, either into sharps bins or clinical waste bins. Over the last few years, we have been thinking of creative ways to recycle these items and prevent them from becoming “waste”.
The ways in which we have recycled kits are as follows. Sending items to be used in international aid projects, repurposing clinical items in both training centres at SJUH and Leeds University. Giving trust approved phlebotomy equipment to the phlebotomy team for use. Sending excess and unused laboratory items such as microscope slides and pipettes to local school science departments.
In presenting a poster we would, a) like to share the creative ideas we have regarding how to make better choices in kit destruction, b) find out how much of a problem this is for other teams (QR code link with questions), and c) use this information to develop better ways of working with sponsor allocated labs to reduce the amount of clinical items sent to us.
Waste reduction and sustainability are key priorities for key sponsor allocated laboratory services and for LTHT. Therefore, focussing on waste reduction would go some way to meet these shared sustainability goals.