Healthcare Waste Report - Environment Health
Healthcare Waste Report - Environment Health
Healthcare Waste Report - Environment Health
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Other sources of information indicate a daily<br />
generation of healthcare waste as low as 1 kg/<br />
bed and according to these data, the<br />
generation amount of healthcare waste was<br />
about 770,000 tons in 2005.<br />
A careful analysis of the healthcare waste<br />
generation rates from different data sources<br />
indicates almost a 100% variation. Evidently,<br />
this variation stems from the differences in the<br />
definitions of healthcare waste. In addition<br />
when estimations are made, it is essential to<br />
provide light on the assumptions and other<br />
factors considered, for example the bed<br />
utilization rate when projections are made<br />
based on the number of beds. Issues arising<br />
from difference in the definition are discussed<br />
in the subsequent sections of this report.<br />
Results of a study on healthcare waste<br />
generation in 23 provinces, organized by<br />
SEPA in 2004, showed that 75% of healthcare<br />
waste was generated in hospitals. Although the<br />
number of other kinds of healthcare facilities<br />
is 88% of the total, the waste generated in<br />
them was found to be only 25% of the total.<br />
<strong><strong>Health</strong>care</strong> waste generated by the outpatient<br />
unit in healthcare institutions was mostly<br />
dressing, bandage and disposable materials.<br />
<strong><strong>Health</strong>care</strong> waste generated by inpatients was<br />
found to be the major source of healthcare<br />
waste. The eastern part of China is the most<br />
populated and developed with better<br />
healthcare facilities than the central and<br />
western region. Hence healthcare waste<br />
generation in this region is expected to be<br />
greater than the other regions of China.<br />
Collection, Storage and<br />
Transportation<br />
left and above: Containers for collection of<br />
healthcare waste<br />
<strong><strong>Health</strong>care</strong> wastes are collected daily from the<br />
rooms by appointed laborers. These wastes are<br />
separately stored in designated places meeting<br />
relevant standards. <strong>Waste</strong> management<br />
companies approved by the local government<br />
collect these waste from the healthcare<br />
facilities, once or twice a day depending upon<br />
the waste generation rate and transport them<br />
to the disposal facility. Figure above and below<br />
shows containers used for collecting healthcare<br />
waste and a typical storage room.<br />
27 HEALTHCARE WASTE IN ASIA: INTUITIONS & INSIGHTS<br />
Room for Storage of healthcare waste
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