Infectious and Radioactive Waste Management in a Diagnostic and Nuclear Medicine Centre

Abstract

Hospital and medical waste management practices are very unsatisfactory in developing countries especially in Pakistan. Existing techniques and practices are not in accordance with the guidelines and levels prescribed by the WHO (World Health Organization) and other international bodies concerned with environment and human health. The objective of this study was to design and implement a proper waste management plan for the PINUM (Punjab institute of Nuclear Medicine) hospital Faisalabad, Pakistan. At PINUM Hospital infectious waste is produced as a result of diagnostic and radioactive waste as a result of diagnostic and therapeutic activities in nuclear medicine. This study was carried out in a period of 10 months in two phases. In first phase a proper infectious waste management plan was designed and incorporated at hospital and in 2nd phase proper management plan for radioactive waste was designed and implemented. Results showed a 43% reduction in volume and treatment cost of infectious waste resulting from proper management. There was significant decrease in prescribed` storage time of radioactive waste which is done to bring its activity to normal level. It was evident from the results if radioactive waste properly segregated, lose radioactive waste (gloves, swabs, absorbing sheets, tissue papers etc.) can be disposed off much earlier than the compact radioactive waste (radioactive vials, needles and sharps).