Improving awareness of Reduce, Reuse, Recycle (3R) principles in a Pathology department: a pre–post educational study

Abstract

The healthcare sector plays a significant role in environmental sustainability due to its high material use and waste production. Laboratories, in particular, generate considerable amounts of hazardous and non-hazardous waste. However, awareness of environmentally friendly practices among healthcare staff remains limited. This study aimed to assess the effect of educational training on the “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” (3R) principles among employees in a Pathology Department. A pre–post educational design was applied in February 2024, involving structured training sessions tailored to different working groups. An 11-question survey focused primarily on recycling practices was administered before and after the training to evaluate knowledge improvement. Seventy-five employees completed both questionnaires. Statistical analysis showed a significant increase in the number of correct answers after the sessions (p < 0.001). The most notable improvements occurred in questions related to proper waste segregation of gloves, cutting tools, and packaging materials. Informal observations during follow-up site visits suggested a possible increase in practices aligned with the reduce and reuse principles, though these were not systematically measured. These findings indicate that training sessions can effectively improve staff knowledge of recycling practices and may influence broader 3R-related behavior. However, further studies are needed to evaluate long-term knowledge retention and sustained behavior change.