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Separate collection of urine to recover nitrogen and phosphorus has been advocated to enhance the sustainability of water management and food production. Urine could provide a renewable source of nitrogen and phosphorus, which are currently extracted from nonrenewable resources. Urine diversion also has the potential to prevent nutrients from entering water bodies and to reduce the amount of energy and chemicals needed to treat wastewater. However, urine diversion would require systems to collect urine, produce urine-derived fertilizers, and to ship them, all of which have their own environmental impacts. This thesis explores the greenhouse gas emissions, cumulative energy demand, freshwater use, eutrophication potential, and acidification potential of systems that recover urine compared to those that do not. It evaluates the importance of location-specific factors by focusing on three locations, and then by conducting further sensitivity analysis. This work has been submitted to the journal Environmental Science & Technology (currently in review). v TABLE OF CONTENTS

(Abstracted from Am J Obstet Gynecol 2020; doi: 10.1016/j.ajog.2020.02.007) In an attempt to save time, as well as reduce costs and transmission of infections, many health care systems in the United States have increased use of disposable medical equipment, which generally decrease costs upfront compared with their reusable alternatives. Use of disposable instruments, however, is associated with increased solid waste production and may increase greenhouse gas emissions, negatively impacting the environment.

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