A sustainable medical waste collection and transportation model for pandemics

We are currently experiencing a critical period for the prevention and control of the COVID-19 pandemic. COVID-19 related waste is a threat to global public environmental health. Medical waste management during this pandemic is one of the major issues facing public service organizations such as municipalities, which is of great importance in terms of logistics, environment and social aspects. The discussion of logistics operations is related to the collection, transportation and disposal of waste, which imposes high expenses. Many methods have been applied to develop and improve waste management policies in the literature. Apart from these studies, very few researchers have improved vehicle operations in waste management considering environmental aspects and the possibility of outsourcing. In this paper, by examining the gaps in the field, we try to explain and formulate the sustainable medical waste management problem for pandemics. Finally, by designing several practical examples with different scales, we solve the problem using CPLEX solver, compare different conditions and discuss the practical implications using the sensitivity analysis of demand parameter.

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Experience and Challenges in Establishing Quarantine Facility for Suspected COVID-19 Cases: Field Briefing

Epidemiology International ◽

10.24321/2455.7048.202107 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 06 (03) ◽

pp. 1-8

Author(s):

Shubha Garg ◽

Keyword(s):

Waste Management ◽

Prevention And Control ◽

Infection Prevention ◽

Medical Waste ◽

Infection Prevention And Control ◽

Successful Operation ◽

Environmental Cleaning ◽

The World ◽

Medical Waste Management ◽

And Control

Introduction: Due to the unprecedented SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, in late January 2020, many countries in the world imposed a travel ban. Governments across the world initiated repatriation operations for stranded nationals. It was important to instantly develop quarantine facilities for evacuees. As the disease was fairly new, data on it was sparse to fulfil the requirement. Objectives: We are sharing our experience of establishing and managing India’s first quarantine facility for repatriate nationals focusing on key parameters including infection prevention and control, environmental cleaning, and bio-medical waste management along with basic living requirements. Results: The facility housed a total of 617 evacuees from China and Italy. Among them, 17 were found to be positive on initial testing and one tested positive on the 14th day of testing. 25 contacts were traced and prescribed an additional quarantine period of fourteen days in the facility, and were discharged accordingly. All evacuees were put on community surveillance. Supply of logistics, manpower management, and ensuring compliance to protocols were some of the major challenges faced, for which appropriate actions were taken. Conclusion: Impeccable collaboration and coordination among different stakeholders is the most essential ingredient for the successful operation of any quarantine facility in the context of the current pandemic.

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Medical Waste Management and Control

Journal of Environmental Protection ◽

10.4236/jep.2012.312179 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 03 (12) ◽

pp. 1625-1628 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Zarook M. Shareefdeen

Keyword(s):

Waste Management ◽

Medical Waste ◽

Medical Waste Management ◽

And Control

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

Energies ◽

10.3390/en14238065 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 14 (23) ◽

pp. 8065

Author(s):

Georgios Giakoumakis ◽

Dorothea Politi ◽

Dimitrios Sidiras

Keyword(s):

Waste Management ◽

Waste Treatment ◽

Batch Reactor ◽

Rankine Cycle ◽

Hydrothermal Carbonization ◽

Medical Waste ◽

Enzymatic Oxidation ◽

Management Problem ◽

Treatment Technologies ◽

Medical Waste Management

The importance of medical waste management has grown during the COVID-19 pandemic because of the increase in medical waste quantity and the significant dangers of these highly infected wastes for human health and the environment. This innovative review focuses on the possibility of materials, gas/liquid/solid fuels, thermal energy, and electric power production from medical waste fractions. Appropriate and promising treatment/disposal technologies, such as (i) acid hydrolysis, (ii) acid/enzymatic hydrolysis, (iii) anaerobic digestion, (vi) autoclaving, (v) enzymatic oxidation, (vi) hydrothermal carbonization/treatment, (vii) incineration/steam heat recovery system, (viii) pyrolysis/Rankine cycle, (ix) rotary kiln treatment, (x) microwave/steam sterilization, (xi) plasma gasification/melting, (xii) sulfonation, (xiii) batch reactor thermal cracking, and (xiv) torrefaction, were investigated. The medical waste generation data were collected according to numerous researchers from various countries, and divided into gross medical waste and hazardous medical waste. Moreover, the medical wastes were separated into categories and types according to the international literature and the medical waste fractions’ percentages were estimated. The capability of the examined medical waste treatment technologies to produce energy, fuels, and materials, and eliminate the medical waste management problem, was very promising with regard to the near future.

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Evaluation of implementation about Covid-19 medical waste management policies in health care facilities

IOP Conference Series Earth and Environmental Science ◽

10.1088/1755-1315/905/1/012124 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 905 (1) ◽

pp. 012124

Author(s):

F F Al-Fikri ◽

R A Nugroho ◽

Sudarmo

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Waste Management ◽

Health Workers ◽

Medical Waste ◽

Health Care Facilities ◽

Literature Study ◽

Care Facilities ◽

Management Policies ◽

Medical Waste Management ◽

The Impact

Abstract This paper evaluates policy implementation that discusses the management of medical waste in health care facilities. The government establishes a waste management policy with the Decree of the Minister of Health concerning Guidelines for the Management of Medical Waste for Health Service Facilities and Waste from Isolation Activities or Independent Quarantine in the Community in Handling (Covid-19) to prevent transmission and controlling the spread of Covid-19 and protecting health workers, non-health workers, and the public from the impact of waste in handling Covid-19. Although regulations related to the management of Covid-19 waste have been set, there are still problems in some areas in their implementation. The literature study was conducted to evaluate the implementation of medical waste management policies in health care facilities. Evaluation is seen based on socialization, implementation, and policy results. Based on the results of the literature study, it was found that the socialization of the policy had done well, evidenced by the implementation of socialization about medical waste in health care facilities. The implementation encountered several obstacles, such as limited shelters, shortage of waste destruction equipment, and medical waste transportation and processing services that had not yet reached all areas in Indonesia.

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RESULTS OF ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING IN 6 PROVINCIAL HOSPITALS HIGHLAND AREA 2011-2013

Journal of Medicine and Pharmacy ◽

10.34071/jmp.2016.1.13 ◽

2016 ◽

pp. 101-108

Author(s):

Duy Tao Tran ◽

Trong Si Hoang

Keyword(s):

Waste Water ◽

Radioactive Waste ◽

Waste Management ◽

Environmental Monitoring ◽

Monitoring And Evaluation ◽

Medical Waste ◽

Contamination Rate ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Medical Waste Management ◽

Central Highlands

Objective: Monitoring and evaluation of air environmental quality, waste water and medical waste management activities in some hospitals in the Central Highlands. Research Methodology: Cross-sectional descriptive survey was deployed in 6 provincial hospitals of the Central Highlands in 7th- 8th months every year for 3 years, 2011, 2012, 2013. Observing the process of waste management in hospitals, weighing the medical solid waste generated daily, sampling and environmental monitoring of air, water waste samples after treatment of hospitals. Findings: The percentage of substandard sample of radioactive 2011 was 5.88%, in 2012 was 5%, 2013 was 0.02%. Mainly in dose laboratories, rinse the nuclear medicine department, hatch covers radioactive waste storage. 100% of the air sample of wastewater treatment areas have NO2 target and 60% of SO2 target sample have not reached allowed regulations. The atmosphere at the garbage area hospitals in Kon Tum and Lam Dong provinces through 2 years of monitoring in 2012, 2013 exceeded SO2 target standards. Monitoring results incinerator emissions sample at 3 hospitals: Kontum, Gia Lai, Dak Nong in 3 years reached Regulations allow. The observation sample treated waste water of the hospital in 2013 with low contamination rate than in 2011 and 2012 in terms of physics and chemistry. Particularly criteria Total coliforms 3 years are from 40-50% of samples exceeded standards. Regarding waste management, the results of monitoring in 2013 showed that 60% of faculties have sharps instruments and 20% of the faculties have satisfactory utensils anatomical waste. 59.48% of the faculties have the guidelines for waste separation. Condition misclassified not many and occur in two hospitals Gia Lai, Dak Lak. Only Lam Dong hospitals have waste transportation vehicles secured closed during transport. The amount of waste / beds / 24 hours is 1.097kg. In particular infectious waste is 0.26kg. Only two hospitals in Daklak, Lam Dong has generated radioactive waste with a total of 0.9 kg/day. Key words: Medical waste, medical waste management.

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A Review of Medical Waste Management in South Africa

Open Environmental Sciences ◽

10.2174/1876325101810010034 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 10 (1) ◽

pp. 34-45 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Olaniyi FC ◽

Ogola JS ◽

Tshitangano TG

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

Waste Management ◽

South African ◽

Management Practice ◽

National Policy ◽

Medical Waste ◽

African Government ◽

The Past ◽

Government Documents ◽

Medical Waste Management

Background:Poor medical waste management has been implicated in an increase in the number of epidemics and waste-related diseases in the past years. South Africa is resource-constrained in the management of medical waste.Objectives:A review of studies regarding medical waste management in South Africa in the past decade was undertaken to explore the practices of medical waste management and the challenges being faced by stakeholders.Method:Published articles, South African government documents, reports of hospital surveys, unpublished theses and dissertations were consulted, analysed and synthesised. The studies employed quantitative, qualitative and mixed research methods and documented comparable results from all provinces.Results:The absence of a national policy to guide the medical waste management practice in the provinces was identified as the principal problem. Poor practices were reported across the country from the point of medical waste generation to disposal, as well as non-enforcement of guidelines in the provinces where they exit. The authorized disposal sites nationally are currently unable to cope with the enormous amount of the medical waste being generated and illegal dumping of the waste in unapproved sites have been reported. The challenges range from lack of adequate facilities for temporary storage of waste to final disposal.Conclusion:These challenges must be addressed and the practices corrected to forestall the adverse effects of poorly managed medical waste on the country. There is a need to develop a medical waste policy to assist in the management of such waste.

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