Disposable supplies are used on every surgical procedure performed. Some surgical procedures called "cases" are quite complex and extensive and require many of these items, some even in duplicate. Cost savings are always on the mind of a healthcare facility but also important is the subject of waste.

Do some research on this topic of recycling, reusing (if allowed) of these supplies, and how they are disposed of when discarded. Research the cost of recycling these items, and where they go once, they leave the operating room. Understanding this part of the supply cycle can help with awareness of every area that can be addressed to mitigate rising healthcare costs as well as the rate at which landfills are filling up with plastics and other materials.

Your post must include details about one of the following choices:

The life cycle of non-soiled plastic waste from an O.R. The life cycle of heavily soiled (blood and body fluids) paper products, such as surgical gowns and drapes. What happens to items discarded in red sharps containers in an O.R.? Also, be sure to define what is allowed in those sharps containers. Ask questions of your readers to find out what they might already know about recycling ( as an example) of these items. Do they know of any rules around these items when discarded, what are the regulations? Can items be reused in other countries? Can soiled items ever be reused? Dig deeper into your probing questions and have your reader help you learn as well.

I need to have references in APA format.