Virtually any and all medical supplies have potential for salvage for recycling, provided they meet any on the following criteria:
- Items unused and unexpired
- Surpluses no longer in current use by an institution
- An item is open but all or a portion of it is unused and uncontaminated
- The item is used and capable of being reprocessed to insure its safe reuse
The following is a list as a guide to some of the more common and useful items:
- Gloves all sizes, sterile / non-sterile
- Sutures all sizes / types, opened / unused / expired
- Sponges all sizes / types, opened / unused / expired
- Pads all sizes / types, opened / unused / expired
- Tape all sizes / types, opened / unused / expired
- Bandages all sizes / types
- Elastic wraps all sizes
- Scalpels disposable, unused
- Syringes all sizes / types, disposable, unused
- Needles all sizes / types, disposable, unused
- IV tubing all types, unused
- IV catheters Venous / atrial, unused
- Catheters, gen. all types, unused
- Tubing all types, opened / unused / expired
- Orthopedic supplies from any procedure - unused
- Disposable surgical instruments - all types, unused or used
- Cleaned and ready for sterilization such as:
- Suture holder
- Suture scissors
- Forceps
- Clamps
- Whole specialty sets and trays - unused
- X-ray film - unused
- Electrodes and leads - unused
- Patient care items - unused / cleaned for reuse
- wash basins
- water pitchers
- bed pans
- urinals
- patient gowns, robes, etc.
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