Sustainable waste management in hospitals

Abstract

This paper refers to the waste management optimisation in hospitals. The goal is to develop the base for selection and implementation of waste prevention measures in hospitals, as well as to take practical action towards the preparation of waste prevention concepts.The application of the input-output analysis enables the identification and quantification of weak spots and waste prevention potentials in hospitals. The input-output analysis is built by considering the consumption (pieces) from the cost control and linking it with the analysis of the most relevant articles in a database: weight, composition and change during consumption and the correct waste disposal fractions are determined. In this way, the path of an article through the hospital can be described, from the purchase to the discharge as waste, and potential weak spots can be identified.Results show which articles are relevant for the contents of individual waste fractions. Waste gets thus a face, i.e. the contribution of each article to the total amount is known and steering measures can be derived and implemented. In this way, the basis is created for an efficient waste or environmental management.The benefits for hospitals include the fact that material flow analysis enables the identification and quantification of weak spots and waste prevention potentials in hospitals. Moreover, the outcome of input-output analysis is a basis for success in terms of efficiency improvements and monetary savings. As long as the database is being continuously updated, annual changes become detectable, and success resulting from implemented measures can be quantified. Identification of specific environmental projects is possible: The projects were developed together with the personnel. The innovation of this project is defined by the direct linking and balancing of purchase data with disposal data in the hospitals.

Network Environ Perspective for Urban Metabolism and Carbon Emissions: A Case Study of Vienna, Austria

“…In comparison with the life-cycle tracking of materials, − the application of NEA revealed more details of carbon metabolism from a mechanistic aspect. In Vienna’s case, there are at least three clues that lead to this: 1) the overall MI (MI = 1.91 > 1.00) indicates a positive development of Vienna’s carbon metabolic system, which is also proved by the self-promotion behaviors at sector level (“+” integral utilities with themselves).…”

“…The current metabolism data set was constructed from a set of carbon balance data of Vienna. These data were derived from ad hoc investigations into the natural carbon fluxes, anthropogenic carbon composition of goods’ transportation, the relationships between these flows and stocks, as well as the combined anthropogenic-natural processes. − As these original investigations of Vienna were all conducted from the life cycle perspective and within similar boundaries, they were integrated for the current framework of urban metabolism. The sensitivity and uncertainty of the synthesized data were discussed due to their influences on the model (Tables S1-a and S1-b).…”

“…A handful of metabolism-focused urban studies have previously been conducted in various urban regions worldwide e.g., Brussels, Hong Kong, , Toronto, and Paris . One of the most comprehensive investigations into carbon metabolism was conducted in the city of Vienna by Daxbeck et al and Obernosterer et al, the results of which were also published by Hendriks et al Over 20% of Austria’s total population reside in Vienna (1.5 million inhabitants), a city which covers just 0.5% of the country’s total area, making it the most densely populated urban area in Austria (3710 capita/km 2 ). Various programs have previously been initiated to cope with carbon emissions and other environmental problems in Vienna, and the established data set was adjusted to demonstrate the urban metabolism model presented here.…”