Purpose The management of public health risks is a key focus for the European Union. One of the key factors that has been shown to pose a public health risk is that of the management of needles from healthcare facilities. The paper aims to discuss this issue. Design/methodology/approach Using audits of two case study hospitals based in northern Italy, this study sought to examine the key factors that resulted in needle stick injuries amongst staff and suggest measures to minimise these risks. Findings The number of needle stick injuries was influenced by various key factors including the time period during the year, the length of time employed, the location within the site, staff category and working hours. Practical implications Suggestions for overcoming the risk factors, including redesigning working patterns, staff training and awareness building, and the use of safety-engineered devices are outlined. Originality/value This study examined the incidence of needle stick injuries amongst healthcare staff in two Italian hospitals, which was lower than in other countries due to various factors, including recapping of needles not being allowed, the introduction of self-retractable needles and awareness campaigns about the correct disposal procedures of potentially infectious waste.
This study aimed to assess the mass fluxes and removal efficiencies of heavy hydrocarbons in a full-scale plant located in northern Italy. This plant receives and treats contaminated soil, soils and rocks from construction and demolition activities, incineration slags and street cleaning residues. The plant has three sections, consisting of bioremediation using biopile, a soil washing stage and a stabilization/solidification unit, which can perform independently or together with the others. The material flow analysis showed how the crisis in the construction industry changed the final destination of waste after the treatment: as the market demand for coarse material decreased, waste was sent directly to landfills for inert waste, instead of being recovered. Hydrocarbon mass fluxes showed that a considerable amount of pollutants was removed. In the period 2009–2014, the removal efficiencies of the bioremediation, the soil washing section and the entire plant were respectively 73%, 58% and 62%. The percentages of removal attained at the facility in study were sufficient to ensure the possibility of recovering the waste or disposing of it in different landfill categories, according to the national regulations.
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