Developing a regional hospital waste management: a case study

Abstract

The objective of this study is to assess technical and sanitary aspects of hospital waste management situation and environmental conditions in the governorate of north Lebanon (GONL) hospitals, and gives appropriate solutions that can be implemented to improve the current situation. The methodology used to carry out this study includes field and office works. A questionnaire on hospital waste management was prepared to collect the necessary information accompanied with field visits to all hospitals of the GONL which include different sizes in both private and public sector. It was found that there are 31 hospitals distributed within the region and mostly concentrated in the city of Tripoli (58%). Their management practices for medical waste are ineffective where only 20% of hospitals are treating their infectious wastes according to the Ministry of Environment licenses. To solve this problem, various technologies were evaluated using physical, health, social, environmental and economic criteria. It was found that the best technology and location for infectious waste within the GONL was a central autoclaving with shredding technology. To succeed in executing this solution, cooperation among all key actors (government, hospitals and waste managers) is needed, not only in legislation and policy formation but also particularly in its monitoring and enforcement. In addition, good waste management practice should be included as part of the hospital rating system, and that national waste management guidance and Codes of Practice should be provided and enforced.