An environmentally friendly alternative to single-use plastics for radiotherapy bladder preparation.

Abstract

More than 60,000 plastic cups were used annually for bladder preparation in one radiotherapy centre. As an alternative, patients were provided with a specifically designed reusable water bottle, aiming to reduce waste and improve bladder filling compliance. Cup usage and bladder volume at treatment were calculated pre- and post-implementation. Bladder volume was measured as a percentage of the planned volume and grouped for analysis. Cup usage halved from 12,000 cups to 6000 cups. Percentage of bladder volumes in the optimal group increased from 47% to 54%. The introduction of water bottles reduced plastic cup usage and increased bladder filling compliance.