Sustainable Pharmaceutical Waste Management: Pharmacist and Patient Perception in Ghanaian Hospitals

Debrah, Justice Kofi; Vidal, Diogo Guedes; Dinis, Maria Alzira Pimenta

doi:10.1007/978-3-030-68074-9_131-1

Cited by 5 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 48 publications

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“…According to a research carried out by Nkwenti P. et al (2023), Nickel was one of the heavy metals found in surface water in Douala Bonaberi industrial zone [11]. This could adversely impact the environment and public health through uncontrollable disposals, like dumping in the open space and pit burning as seen in other researches carries in Africa [12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 96%

Heavy Metals Identification and Detection in Incinerated Bottom Ash from Biomedical Solid Waste in Selected Healthcare Facilities in Douala, Cameroon

Peter,

Marie,

Djopnang

et al. 2023

CSIJ

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Aims: To identify and detect heavy metals in incinerated bottom ash of Biomedical Solid Waste in selected healthcare facilities in Douala, Cameroon. Study Design: Cross-sectional fieldwork and laboratory based study design approach that involved quantitative and qualitative data collection methods Place and Duration of Study: This study was carried out in the Douala, Littoral region of Cameroon from the month of January 2023 to June 2023. Methodology: 5 grams of filtered incinerated bottom ash from BSW were collected from incinerators of the selected healthcare facilities using labeled plastic polyethylene containers and transported to the laboratory for analysis. Samples were air dried and introduced on polypropylene film to the EDX 7000 spectrometer for sensitive analysis. Results: Both the quantitative and qualitative concentration percentage of the heavy metals detected from Na to Uranium in each HCF was determined by the EDX 7000 spectrometer device. Zinc had a significant concentration percentage in BDH (7.491±0.009333%), LH (4.255±0.009%), GH (7.506±0.013%), AHD (6,903±0.012%) and Iron had a significant concentration percentage in GOHD (3.669±0.013%). Conclusion: It is concluded that improper disposal of incinerated BA from incinerators may pollute the environment and water bodies through leaching into ground water or being carried into water bodies through runoffs, being inhaled in dust from the dump area, and bioaccumulating in plants and animals that stray to the dump site, potentially having a negative impact on the environment and health risks like cancer and respiratory illnesses. Some of the heavy elements found in bottom ash that had been burned during this investigation were above the USEPA-permitted limits. Assuring proper BA disposal through hygienic landfills may help reduce the amount of heavy metals and other toxic elements in the environment, hence safeguarding human health. To prevent additional environmental damage and human exposure to these elements, waste management practices must be improved through BA recycling. Additionally, it is advised that waste managers in the healthcare industry receive training in safe incinerator bottom ash handling and disposal techniques. Regulatory organizations should also oversee and implement policies for bottom ash management in neighborhood healthcare facilities. In Cameroon, a developing nation that must concentrate on environmental challenges that also benefit human health, this study is fundamentally significant. Sustainable prevention of waste and heavy metals in various HCFs will result from source segregation, knowledge of the problem, and safeguards taken at every stage of the waste cycle.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 96%

Heavy Metals Identification and Detection in Incinerated Bottom Ash from Biomedical Solid Waste in Selected Healthcare Facilities in Douala, Cameroon

Peter,

Marie,

Djopnang

et al. 2023

CSIJ

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“…In recent years, waste management (WM) has become an issue in developed and developing countries [1], especially in the Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) region [2][3][4][5]. The high volume of waste generated in SSA is attributed to rapid population growth and industrialization [6,7].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Barriers and Challenges to Waste Management Hindering the Circular Economy in Sub-Saharan Africa

2022

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More and more, waste generated in most parts of the Western world has been recycled and transformed into new circularity products. However, managing waste within Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), such as in Ghana, has become a challenge due to the continued practice of the old traditional linear waste economy, that is, the taking, making and disposing methods of management, representing a threat to global environmental sustainability. Despite the need to revise current linear waste management (WM) in order to turn to the circular economy (CE) model, which consists of the concept of renew, remake and share, to advance sustainable development, a number of factors restrict the CE realization in practice, specifically in developing countries. An integrative methodology was used in this article to identify some of the challenges that hinder the achievement of CE in SSA countries. The results revealed the absence of educational programs and public awareness of waste management activities. The findings also highlight the lack of political will, funding and national policies on WM as some of the most significant issues. The study contributes to further encouraging policymakers and policy implementers, entrepreneurs and relevant interested groups to commit resources to sustainable WM services aiming to advancing CE in SSA countries.

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Industrial Waste Management in Ghana: Environmental Challenges and Climate Change Impacts on Human Health

Debrah¹,

Teye²,

Wahaj³

et al. 2023

Climate Change Management

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Sustainable Pharmaceutical Waste Management: Pharmacist and Patient Perception in Ghanaian Hospitals

Cited by 5 publications

References 48 publications

Heavy Metals Identification and Detection in Incinerated Bottom Ash from Biomedical Solid Waste in Selected Healthcare Facilities in Douala, Cameroon

Heavy Metals Identification and Detection in Incinerated Bottom Ash from Biomedical Solid Waste in Selected Healthcare Facilities in Douala, Cameroon

Barriers and Challenges to Waste Management Hindering the Circular Economy in Sub-Saharan Africa

Industrial Waste Management in Ghana: Environmental Challenges and Climate Change Impacts on Human Health

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