Healthcare Waste Report - Environment Health

Recycling Project at Hospital Lam Wah Ee, Penang, Malaysia
Hospital Lam Wah Ee is a charity hospital by the people and for the people to complement and
supplement the health services provided by the Government of Malaysia. The hospital is located
at Penang, Malaysia. Waste generated in the hospital is segregated into clinical waste, general
waste and recyclable waste at the source, bagged and binned following specific guidelines
outlined in the hospital’s Infection Control Manual. Clinical wastes are autoclaved where
applicable and sent for incineration. General wastes are collected by the local authority and
disposed in the dumpsite. Recyclable wastes are sold to buyers and the proceeds are used to help
hospital staff in need or used to respond to emergency situations, for example, donation for
tsunami victims.
The recycling project started in 2002 with the objectives of environmental protection and
generating funds for staff welfare. A Recycling Project Committee was set up in June 2002 with
19 members and every member assigned specific duties to be taken up in turns. Ideally, every
member either sorts the recyclable items according to their categories one day before the sale or
verifies the weight of recyclable items in turns every week.
Old newspapers, books/magazines/loose papers, cardboards, clear plastic bottles, coloured
plastic bottles, drip bottles, glass bottles, tins/cans /cooking oil bottles, aluminum cans, plastic
bags, wearable old clothes and even old car batteries are collected by the recycling committee.
Between July 2002 and June 2006, in about 48 months, the hospital sold about 298,000 kg of
recyclables and earned revenue of MYR 71,600 (USD 20,200). Recycling practice in the hospital
is a classic example of how 3R principles can be integrated in any healthcare institution and how
the segregation of infectious waste and general waste has to be done.
For more details:
Lam Wah EE Hospital, 141, Jalan Tan, Sri Teh Ewe Lim, 11600, Penang, Malaysia
www.hlwe.com.my
CHAPTER 4_GLOBAL EXPERIENCES AND LESSONS TO LEARN
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