Abstract
Management of medical waste is of great importance due to its infectious and hazardous nature that can cause adverse impacts on human health and environment. The objectives of this study were to estimate the current generation of medical solid waste and its existing management practices in Hanoi city, Vietnam. This study also aimed at providing the predictions for future generation of medical solid waste that could serve as scientific basis for planning of medical waste management in Hanoi city. Based on the collected secondary data, the analyses indicated that the generation rate of total medical waste (including normal and hazardous medical waste) is 0.86 kg/bed.day, in which the generation rate of hazardous medical waste is 0.14 kg/bed.day. The major problem associated with existing management practices of medical waste is the treatment and disposal stage. There are no official recycling activities for normal medical waste at present although its legal basis has been setting up in the Medical Waste Management Regulation in 2007 issued by Ministry of Health. With respect to the treatment of hazardous medical waste, incinerators-the major applied technology are being operated inefficiently. For overcoming these obstacles, the local government and relating agencies need to put more effort, in terms of financial and human resources, in facilitating the official recycling activities for normal medical waste and developing more environmentally-friendly alternative treatment technologies for medical waste, towards the gradual replacement of unnecessary incineration. The study predicted that in 2020 and 2030, the quantities of total medical waste generated in Hanoi city would be 30.44 and 46.05 tons/day, respectively which 1.7 and 2.6 times higher than those in 2010. This would be challenging the local government in managing medical waste generated in the future.
Highlights
There has been an increase in the public concern about the management of medical waste on a global basis [1]
Medical wastes are considered as a special category of waste because they pose potential human health and environmental risks, as they contain sharps, human tissues or body parts, discarded plastic materials contaminated with blood, discarded medical equipment, and other infectious materials [2]
Despite the fact that current medical waste management practices vary from hospital to hospital, the concerning problems are similar for all hospitals and at all stages of management, including segregation, collection, packaging, storage, transport, treatment and disposal [3]
Summary
There has been an increase in the public concern about the management of medical waste on a global basis [1]. Medical wastes are considered as a special category of waste because they pose potential human health and environmental risks, as they contain sharps, human tissues or body parts, discarded plastic materials contaminated with blood, discarded medical equipment, and other infectious materials [2]. About 15–25% (by weight) of medical waste is infectious materials [1]. Improper management of medical wastes could cause environmental pollution, unpleasant odors, and growth of insects, rodents and worms. It is important to properly manage medical waste to avoid human health and environmental risks
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