Financial Impact of Adopting Circular Economy Practices in Waste Management at a University Hospital in Curitiba

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the financial impact of CE practices on HCW management at CHC-UFPR, from 2017 to 2022. Theoretical Framework: Concepts and theories on CE and MSW, sustainable practices in the hospital area are addressed, in order to allow an understanding of the financial, environmental and social implications of these practices in the management of MSW. Method: A descriptive case study with a qualitative and quantitative approach. Secondary data from the PGRSS, from 2017 to 2022, versions 2018 and 2022. Survey of the quantification of RSS generated, cost, and the annual recycling rate. Results and Discussion: From 2017 to 2022, the generation of HSW at CHC-UFPR increased from 570,074.69 kg to 731,627.51 kg, influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic. Group D, managed at approximately R$0.78 per kilo in 2022, would have seen its costs increase by 21.65% without the segregation of recyclables. Recycling grew from 62.16 tons (2017) to 87.32 tons (2022), maintaining a recycling rate above 10%, reaching 17.20% in 2019. In 2021, the total cost of waste management was the highest, reflecting the increase in waste during the pandemic. Research Implications: Contributes to the understanding of the financial and environmental benefits of adopting sustainable practices in the management of HSW in the hospital environment. Originality/Value:The study can contribute to sustainability practices, especially recycling, in the hospital environment.