Improving the Performance of Structural Members by Incorporating Incinerated Bio-Medical Waste Ash in Reinforced Geopolymer Concrete

This study aims to analyze the use of Incinerated Bio-Medical Waste Ash (IBWA) in reinforced concrete structural member with ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS) as an alternate building ingredient instead of cement. Biomedical waste was produced from various medical resources such as hospitals, medical institutes and research centres. GGBS is the waste generated from the steel plant. The climate is now being affected by the release of CO2 (global warming) from the Portland cement industries. Therefore, greater attention must be paid to study efforts to use geopolymer concrete. Geopolymer is a novel inorganic eco-friendly binding agent derived from an alkaline solution that stimulates aluminosilicate source material (GGBS, Rice Husk Ash, Quartz Powder, metakaolin, fly ash and Silica Fume). In this research, laboratory tests for Reinforced Geopolymer Concrete (RGPC) beams (deflection, ductility factor, flexural strength and toughness index) and columns (load-carrying ability, stress-strain behaviour and load-deflection behaviour) were conducted for three types of proportions using [30% IBWA – 70% GGBS Geopolymer concrete, GGBS Geopolymer concrete and Reinforced Cement Concrete. The experimental findings revealed that the performance of reinforced 30% IBWA – 70% GGBS geo-polymer beams and columns worked more effectively than reinforced cement concrete beams and columns.

Medical waste management in healthcare institutions

Studies over the past decade have shown that medical waste generated has increased significantly and will continue to increase with the pandemic. To identify solutions to solve this global issue, the assignment focuses on defining the existing waste management practices followed in developing countries and highlights specific challenges faced. The purpose of this assignment is to identify ways where healthcare organizations can improve the overall medical waste management (MWM) process and create awareness among co-workers. The assignment is divided into three main components where critical analysis of primary research, policy for waste management and use of IT/IS tools were analyzed. Three articles analyzed in this assignment were published in high impact journals/international reports between 2014-2018. Findings from the primary research were obtained using a Likert-scale questionnaire from 156 healthcare institutions, the results indicated that MWM practices followed in healthcare institutions are impacted by three factors, awareness of staff, technological availability and attitudes of top-board management. The three factors had a p-value of 0.00 in the correlation analysis carried out indicating a highly significant relationship between them. Integrated sustainable waste management model following the GWMO (Global Waste Management Outlook) framework was identified to be most adaptable method. The advantage of this model is such that it can be remodeled based on the country’s requirement with the help of digital tools and country-level indicators. The use of IT/IS tools were critically analyzed in the last article with use of GIS integrated real-time waste management system being identified as the most feasible option, where using online tracking systems and smart bins the type of waste and quantities produced can be measured and provide real time updates to local authorities to ensure safe waste management practices are followed. Recommendations from the assignment identifies that countries needs to conduct a preliminary analysis of types of medical waste being generated in healthcare institutions to provide a better understanding of types of hazardous waste exposed to the environment. Additionally, frequent training workshops needs to be conducted to ensure the management and staff understand the importance of MWM.

The Effectivity of Solid Medical Waste Management in Pandemic Era

Introduction: The increasing of confirmed positive case of SARS-Cov-2 Virus impacts to the need for improvement of health services, especially to the health workers and medical equipment. Along with the importance of regarding need of health service, it causes the rise number of medical waste that leads to health problem crisis. Therefore, this article presents common insight of the effectivity and challenge of medical waste management in Covid-19 pandemic.Methods: The notion is gained by finding out the source database from Pubmed, ScienceDirect, Google scholar, Researchgate that classified based on the research purpose. The keywords used were: (1) Covid-19 and medical waste; (2) pandemic solid waste; (3) waste and Covid-19; (4) management and pandemics.Results: An effective method to be applied is sterilizer technology, such as VH2O2 dan Stryker STERIZONE VP4, and the development of late waste respirator with the pyrolysis process. The method and the management process is considered, either nationally or internationally, as effective, but still we found challenge to implement the method, as lack of socialisation and support from the functionary. Conclusion: the method management can be implemented in the various countries, based on the needs and capability.

Implementation of environmental cost accounting during the COVID-19 pandemic in medical waste management

This study aims to investigating the implementation of environmental cost accounting during the COVID-19 pandemic in relation to medical waste management at Wangaya General Hospital, Denpasar Indonesia using qualitative approach through case studies. Data were collected through field-observation, documentation and interviews with 4 key informants. The results show that the Wangaya Hospital had implemented environmental cost accounting, but had not made an explicit disclosure of environmental costs. There is no environmental cost report, and the operational statement is only reported in the goods and services expense account. But in other hand, Wangaya General Hospital already integrated among the economic, social, and environmental sustainability. The research results also show that Wangaya General Hospital still able to manage their business in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Evaluation of the Effect of PDCA in Hospital Health Management

PDCA plays a very important role in the hygienic management of hospital operating rooms. Before the PDCA management from February 2018 to February 2019, routine hygiene management in the operating room was adopted; after the PDCA management from February 2018 to February 2019, PDCA cycle management was adopted. 500 surgical patients were randomly selected from both groups. We compare the quality control checklist scores of hand hygiene management, environmental hygiene management, medical waste management, and disinfection and isolation management in the routine group and the PDCA group. We also compared the detection rate of pathogenic bacteria in surgical incisions of the routine group and the PDCA group and the infection rate of various surgical incisions, air samples, surface samples, disinfectants, and sterilization rates of sterile items. The PDCA group’s hand hygiene management score, environmental hygiene management score, medical waste management score, and disinfection and isolation management score were higher than those in the conventional group ( P < 0.05 ). The detection rate of pathogenic bacteria in the PDCA group, the infection rate of type I, type II, and type III incisions, and the total infection rate of surgical incisions were lower than those in the conventional group, and the difference was statistically significant ( P < 0.05 ). The qualified rate of air samples and surface samples in the PDCA group was higher than that in the conventional group ( P < 0.05 ), and the difference in the qualified rate of disinfectants and sterile items between the two groups was not statistically significant ( P > 0.05 ). The hygiene management of the operating room adopts PDCA sustainable improvement management measures to effectively increase the qualification rate of disinfection and sterilization, reduce the detection rate of pathogenic bacteria and infection rate of surgical incisions, and strengthen the management quality of hand hygiene, environmental hygiene, medical waste, and disinfection and isolation.

Landfill Site Selection for Medical Waste Using an Integrated SWARA-WASPAS Framework Based on Spherical Fuzzy Set

Selecting suitable locations for the disposal of medical waste is a serious matter. This study aims to propose a novel approach to selecting the optimal landfill for medical waste using Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) methods. For better considerations of the uncertainty in choosing the optimal landfill, the MCDM methods are extended by spherical fuzzy sets (SFS). The identified criteria affecting the selection of the optimal location for landfilling medical waste include three categories; environmental, economic, and social. Moreover, the weights of the 13 criteria were computed by Spherical Fuzzy Step-Wise Weight Assessment Ratio Analysis (SFSWARA). In the next step, the alternatives were analyzed and ranked using Spherical Fuzzy Weighted Aggregated Sum Product Assessment (SFWASPAS). Finally, in order to show the accuracy and validity of the results, the proposed approach was compared with the IF-SWARA-WASPAS method. Examination of the results showed that in the IF environment the ranking is not complete, and the results of the proposed method are more reliable. Furthermore, ten scenarios were created by changing the weight of the criteria, and the results were compared with the proposed method. The overall results were similar to the SF-SWARA-WASPAS method.

ECO – FRIENDLINESS OF AYURVEDA

Ayurveda is the old age science it is time tested which is still proven for today. Ayurveda mainly emphasizes both preventive and curative aspects the main aim of Ayurveda is “Swastasya Swasthya Rakshana Aturasya Vikara Prashamana” there has been more than hundreds of different treatment approaches said in Ayurveda. For preven- tion Dincharya, Ritucharya etc. mentioned, in curative aspect Shamana, Shodana have mentioned the waste gen- erated in all these procedures are organic and eco-friendly. Keywords: Eco-friendly, Environment, Environmental factors, Bio-medical waste, Ayurveda.