Medical Waste Treatment Technologies for Energy, Fuels, and Materials Production: A Review

Giakoumakis, Georgios; Politi, Dorothea; Sidiras, D.K.

doi:10.3390/en14238065

Cited by 35 publications

(21 citation statements)

References 173 publications

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“…After collecting, the all face mask samples are prepared for the experimental research according to the detailed procedure given by standard guidelines and procedures which were applied for this type of waste material for possible energy production [ 5 ]. These procedures enable the forming of a homogenous and representative sample for further characterization and it is based on standard analytical techniques for the sample preparation with the statistical approach.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Thermal characteristics and combustion reactivity of coronavirus face masks using TG-DTG-MS analysis

Manić

Janković

Stojiljković

et al. 2022

J Therm Anal Calorim

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The presented paper deals with the influence of the heating rate on combustion characteristics (reactivity and reactivity evaluation, ignition index ( D i ), burnout index ( D f ), the combustion performance index ( S ), and the combustion stability index ( R W )) of the protective coronavirus face masks. Two types of commonly used face masks in different state (new and exploited) were investigated by TG-DTG analysis in an air atmosphere, directly coupled with mass spectrometry (MS). Based on the experimental results, the impact of ultimate and proximate analysis data on the evolved gas analysis (EGA) was discussed. Also, the derived values from thermo-analytical (TA) data were compared with the literature reports, related to individual constitutive face mask materials. According to the performed research, it was established that different maximal reaction rate values at various heating rates indicate the complex nature of coronavirus face mask thermo-oxidative degradation, which is stimulated with carbon oxidation reactions and volatile matter (VM) release. By detailed analysis of obtained TG-DTG profiles, it was established that process takes place through the multiple-step reaction pathways, due to many vigorous radical reactions, causes by polymers degradation. The performed research was done to evaluate the possible utilization of coronavirus waste to energy production and sustainable pandemic environmental risk reduction.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Thermal characteristics and combustion reactivity of coronavirus face masks using TG-DTG-MS analysis

Manić

Janković

Stojiljković

et al. 2022

J Therm Anal Calorim

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“…There is a lack of data on the true costs of HCRW disposal due to commercial sensitivity. The cost of disposal is expected to be GBP 0.45/kg in the United Kingdom and USD 0.79/kg per ton in the United States [93]. As a result, developing countries struggle to treat waste.…”

Section: Discussion On Challenges and Analysis On Prospective Or Rele...mentioning

confidence: 99%

A Review of the Impact That Healthcare Risk Waste Treatment Technologies Have on the Environment

Zikhathile

Atagana

Bwapwa

et al. 2022

IJERPH

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Health-Care Risk Waste (HCRW) treatment protects the environment and lives. HCRW is waste from patient diagnostics, immunization, surgery, and therapy. HCRW must be treated before disposal since it pollutes, spreads illnesses, and causes harm. However, waste treatment increases the healthcare sector’s carbon footprint, making the healthcare sector a major contributor to anthropogenic climate change. This is because treating HCRW pollutes the environment and requires a lot of energy. Treating HCRW is crucial, but its risks are not well-studied. Unintentionally, treating HCRW leads to climate change. Due to frequent climate-related disasters, present climate-change mitigation strategies are insufficient. All sectors, including healthcare, must act to mitigate and prevent future harms. Healthcare can reduce its carbon footprint to help the environment. All contributing elements must be investigated because healthcare facilities contribute to climate change. We start by evaluating the environmental impact of different HCRW treatment technologies and suggesting strategies to make treatments more sustainable, cost-effective, and reliable to lower the carbon footprint.

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“…HCWs are divided in two categories, the non-hazardous medical wastes (resembles household waste) and the hazardous medical waste, which are also divided in infectious waste, the mix hazardous waste, and the other hazardous waste [ 75 ]. To continue, incineration is considered to be the most appropriate way of treatment for HCWs because it decreases their weight and volume; however, pressure steam sterilization is more accepted by the community, in contrast with other waste-management-facility technologies [ 77 , 78 , 79 , 80 ].…”

Section: Healthcare/medical Wastes Quantities and Generation Ratesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Identifying and Predicting Healthcare Waste Management Costs for an Optimal Sustainable Management System: Evidence from the Greek Public Sector

Sepetis

Zaza

Rizos

et al. 2022

IJERPH

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The healthcare sector is an ever-growing industry which produces a vast amount of waste each year, and it is crucial for healthcare systems to have an effective and sustainable medical waste management system in order to protect public health. Greek public hospitals in 2018 produced 9500 tons of hazardous healthcare wastes, and it is expected to reach 18,200 tons in 2025 and exceed 18,800 tons in 2030. In this paper, we investigated the factors that affect healthcare wastes. We obtained data from all Greek public hospitals and conducted a regression analysis, with the management cost of waste and the kilos of waste as the dependent variables, and a number of variables reflecting the characteristics of each hospital and its output as the independent variables. We applied and compared several models. Our study shows that healthcare wastes are affected by several individual-hospital characteristics, such as the number of beds, the type of the hospital, the services the hospital provides, the number of annual inpatients, the days of stay, the total number of surgeries, the existence of special units, and the total number of employees. Finally, our study presents two prediction models concerning the management costs and quantities of infectious waste for Greece’s public hospitals and proposes specific actions to reduce healthcare wastes and the respective costs, as well as to implement and adopt certain tools, in terms of sustainability.

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Medical Waste Treatment Technologies for Energy, Fuels, and Materials Production: A Review

Cited by 35 publications

References 173 publications

Thermal characteristics and combustion reactivity of coronavirus face masks using TG-DTG-MS analysis

Thermal characteristics and combustion reactivity of coronavirus face masks using TG-DTG-MS analysis

A Review of the Impact That Healthcare Risk Waste Treatment Technologies Have on the Environment

Identifying and Predicting Healthcare Waste Management Costs for an Optimal Sustainable Management System: Evidence from the Greek Public Sector

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