Managing hazard solid waste in a health facilities regional network. Evaluation of a district-size system.

Abstract

The hospitals and related services solid waste represent a hazard for the environment and public health, for that reason they should not be disposed with common waste without previous treatment. Medical waste decontamination is achieved either through destruction or inactivation. Destruction involves combustion processes such as incineration, while inactivation involves killing microorganisms without disintegrating them. Inactivation is accomplished using heat, chemicals, or radiation. The various medical waste treatment systems applying these processes are discussed. In this paper a plan is presented on how to manage the medical waste of a regional network of health services. Particular attention is given to the managing of human placentas produced in delivery rooms at rural areas, radioactive waste of general hospitals, mercury residuals from dentistry practice, discarded radiographic films and corroded developer liquids from the imaging services. It presents different planning options such as treatment by incineration in a centralized area, incinerators for each individual facility and burning of human placentas in rural facilities. This analysis is presented in relation to its cost and recommendation for the most feasible way.