Health Hazards of Medical Waste and its Disposal

Padmanabhan, K. K.; Barik, Debabrata

doi:10.1016/b978-0-08-102528-4.00008-0

Cited by 87 publications

(71 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…High-income countries generate on average up to 0.5 kg of hazardous waste per hospital bed per day while low-income countries generate on average 0.2 kg [ 19 ]. On the other side, there are no separate collections (hazardous vs nonhazardous items) in developing countries that increase the ratio of hazardous items through contamination [ 25 ]. At the national level, medical waste as follows: M w = No.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessment of COVID-19 Waste Flows During the Emergency State in Romania and Related Public Health and Environmental Concerns

Mihai

2020

IJERPH

107

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This paper provides a rapid assessment method of potentially infectious waste flow related to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic in Romania focusing on the emergency state (from 16 March to 14 May 2020) where a national lockdown was in force with restrictive and social distancing measures concerning population mobility and economic activities. Medical and municipal waste management systems are critical services in combating the virus spread in the community. This assessment is useful due to poor available data of medical waste flow in environmental reports and it covers COVID-19 patients, quarantined, and self-isolated persons as the main potential infectious waste sources. The proposed model estimates that COVID-19 related waste flow is 4312 t at the national level from 25 February to 15 June of which 2633 t in the emergency state period. This assessment is correlated with deficiencies of medical and municipal waste management systems in Romania before the COVID-19 pandemic as stress factors of public health and environment. This study points out the main challenges of waste operators and reveals some best practices during this pandemic crisis. Based on the results and discussion section, several recommendations are proposed to COVID-19 waste-related issues and points out the crucial role of the reliable medical and municipal waste database in managing such biologic hazards at national and EU levels. Monitoring of COVID-19 waste flow through such models are important for decision-makers, particularly in low and middle-income countries which are facing waste management deficiencies and gaps in waste statistics, to reduce other contamination risks or related environmental threats.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessment of COVID-19 Waste Flows During the Emergency State in Romania and Related Public Health and Environmental Concerns

Mihai

2020

IJERPH

107

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“…Classifying hospital or medical waste takes in a broad range of waste typologies to account for the diverse range of materials that needs to be accounted for and sanitarily managed within these contexts, including: infectious waste, pathological waste, sharps, chemical and pharmaceutical waste, genotoxic waste, and even radioactive waste, among others (Padmanabhan & Barik 2019). Nonetheless, the significant majority of healthcare waste produced (85% according to the WHO [2018]), is non-hazardous.…”

Section: Infectious Waste and The Global Southmentioning

confidence: 99%

“We Are Already Sick”: Infectious Waste Management and Inequality in the Time of Covid-19, a Reflection from Blantyre, Malawi

Tilley¹,

Kalina

2020

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The efficient and sanitary management of infectious waste is an essential part of the humanitarian response to any disaster, including the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. Unfortunately, in many contexts within the Global South, waste management systems are poorly equipped to handle these waste streams during periods of normalcy, let alone during times of crisis. The purpose of this article is draw attention to a number of existing inequalities that define infectious waste management practices globally, with a critical eye to how they constrain poorer nations' ability to respond and manage their own Covid-19 outbreaks. In particular, the work draws on the authors' extensive research, experience, and activism at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital in Blantyre, Malawi, to understand how waste management practices will inform and react to mitigation efforts and to propose a number of practical steps that can be achieved in the short-term, as well as towards long-term structural transformation. Ultimately, this conversation is meant to contribute to a more inclusive and critical waste management studies discourse.

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“…They have also led to further education for healthcare professionals and personnel on waste management and “green hospital” initiatives. Although attempts have been made to improve the process of HCW disposal, serious problems and safety issues related to public health still very much exist [ 52 ]. The growing global population, the increase in lifespan, and the global crisis in chronic disease mean not only is more HCW being produced than ever before but there is an even greater need to better manage it.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Review of Current Healthcare Waste Management Methods and Their Effect on Global Health

Kenny

Priyadarshini

2021

Healthcare

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Healthcare is a rapidly growing industry as medical treatments become more sophisticated, more in demand due to increasing incidence of chronic disease and more widely available worldwide. This booming industry is also creating more waste than ever before and, as such, there is a growing need to treat and dispose of this waste. Healthcare waste (HCW) disposal includes a multitude of disposal methods, including incineration, landfilling and chemical treatments. These rudimentary methods and their growing use present their own problems that negatively impact both the environment and, in turn, damage public health, thus contributing to a global healthcare crisis. The aim of this review was to examine the current HCW disposal methods in place and the harmful effects they have on the environment and on public health. The findings accumulated in this review demonstrate a heavy reliance on basic, low tech HCW disposal techniques and uncovered the negative impacts of these methods. There is a notable lack of employment of “greener” HCW disposal methods on a largescale due to cost, access and feasibility. Despite innovations in HCW disposal, there is no scalable, global green solution at present. Further, the review highlights that global health consequences of HCW disposal methods often differ depending on how developed the country is.

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Health Hazards of Medical Waste and its Disposal

Cited by 87 publications

References 7 publications

Assessment of COVID-19 Waste Flows During the Emergency State in Romania and Related Public Health and Environmental Concerns

Assessment of COVID-19 Waste Flows During the Emergency State in Romania and Related Public Health and Environmental Concerns

“We Are Already Sick”: Infectious Waste Management and Inequality in the Time of Covid-19, a Reflection from Blantyre, Malawi

Review of Current Healthcare Waste Management Methods and Their Effect on Global Health

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