Healthcare Waste Report - Environment Health

FOREWORD
The risks associated with healthcare waste, and the
contemporary management system, have gained attention
across the world in various events, local and international
forums and summits. The need for proper healthcare waste
management is gaining recognition slowly due to the substantial
disease burdens associated with poor practices, including
exposure to infectious agents and toxic substances. Despite the
magnitude of the health problem, capacities and policy
approaches in many countries, especially developing nations, in
dealing with environmental health problems are inadequate and
require intensification.
Realizing the need for safer management measures and eventually reversing the trend of
environmental degradation and its negative impact on health, the “Regional Forum on
Environment and Health in Southeast and East Asian Countries” was formed in 2007 with
attendance of Environment and Health Ministers. Thematic Working Groups were created
on six priority areas; one among them is on Solid and Hazardous Waste. The TWGSHW
picked up medical waste and municipal waste as the target wastes during 2007/08-2009/10.
3R being a revelation and a striking strategic solution for the
waste crisis, the 3R Knowledge Hub shortly, 3RKH was
established under the patronage of the Asian Development Bank
(ADB) as an adjunct venture sustaining the 3R Initiative which
was initiated by the G8 countries and then promoted by many
developed and developing countries. The 3RKH is jointly hosted
by the Asian Institute of Technology and the United Nations
Environment Programme, Regional Resource Centre for Asia
and the Pacific in collaboration with United Nations Economic
and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific. The 3RKH
functions with specific objectives on expansion of 3R knowledge
on Municipal Solid Waste (MSW), Healthcare Waste (HCW)
and E-waste and disseminating it to wider audience.
The 3RKH and TWGSHW being on similar platforms of acquiring
information on HCW, the assignment of preparing a Healthcare
Waste status report was delegated to 3RKH. The study on healthcare
waste was consequently, initiated by 3RKH with the support from
ADB and TWGSHW and financial aid from Ministry of the
Environment, Japan (MOEJ). This report titled “Healthcare Waste in
Asia: Intuitions & Insights” presented now is the outcome of the study.
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