Utilizing reusable surgical gowns and drapes, Dr. Rafael Andrade was able to reduce the amount of waste generated during one of his procedures, saving the University of Minnesota Medical Center Fairview (UMMC) US$2,000 and 80 lbs (36 kg) of waste annually. 

Reusable gowns that are washed and reprocessed through UMMC’s sterile processing department cost Fairview US$1.08 each to process, as opposed to disposable gowns, which cost the hospital US$2.39 to purchase and generate 0.5 lbs (0.2 kg) of waste each. Each reusable gown can be reprocessed approximately 50 times before disposal. 

Overall, Dr. Andrade’s choice of reusable gowns costs Fairview US$170 annually and generates no solid waste compared to using disposable gowns, which would cost US$287 and generate 60 lbs (27 kg) of waste annually.