Healthcare Waste Management: An Overview

Main Article Content

Muktar Oladapo Raji
Adeniyi Ganiyu Adeogun

Abstract

Healthcare waste (HCW) is a vital global issue that cannot be overlooked due to its threat to humans and the environment stemming from its infectious and hazardous nature. This study examines previous works undertaken on healthcare waste management (HCWM) practices around the world, notably the developing countries with a particular interest in segregation, collection, transportation, treatment, and disposal of HCW. This study draws attention to the environmental hazards arising from each stage of HCWM. Factors affecting HCWM practices have also been discussed. This study revealed evidence of poor HCWM practices in many developing countries. It also showed the impacts of human and non-human factors on HCWM practices. Proper documentation, sufficient budget, adequate supply of HCWM materials, frequent training of healthcare workers, and development of local manuals and guides are essential if a country is determined to achieve an efficient and sustainable HCWM system. Liquid HCW needs to be investigated as much as the solid HCW. Exploration of HCW minimization, reuse, and recycling opportunities is recommended for future research. The use of Modern-day technology such as Artificial Intelligence and geographic information system (GIS) has provided good results so far. However, they can be explored further for prediction, real-time monitoring, and reporting of HCW. The present study can be adopted as a guide in discussing issues about HCWM.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Article Details

How to Cite
[1]
M. O. Raji and A. G. . Adeogun, “Healthcare Waste Management: An Overview”, AJERD, vol. 7, no. 1, pp. 14–27, Mar. 2024.
Section
Articles

References

Oli, A. N., Ekejindu, C. C., Adje, D. U., Ezeobi, I., Ejiofor, O. S., Ibeh, C. C., & Ubajaka, C. F. (2016). Healthcare waste management in selected government and private hospitals in Southeast Nigeria. Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Biomedicine, 6(1), 84-89. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apjtb.2015.09.019 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apjtb.2015.09.019

Afon, A. O., Afolabi, A. S., Agbabiaka, H. I., & Akinbinu, A. A. (2017). Determinants of hospital solid waste composition of Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital Complex (OAUTHC) Ile-Ife, Nigeria. Cogent Environmental Science, 3(1), 1-18. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311843.2017.1300863 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/23311843.2017.1300863

Dereje, M. A., Tadese, E. T., Yared, M. G., & Getasew, M. (2020). Healthcare Waste Management Practice and Associated Factors among Private and Public Hospitals of Bahir Dar City Administration. Journal of Environmental and Public Health, 2020(7837564), 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1155/2020/7837564 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1155/2020/7837564

Joseph, L., Paul, H., Premkumar, J., & Paul, R. (2015). Biomedical waste management: Study on the awareness and practice among healthcare workers in a tertiary teaching hospital. Indian J Med Microbiol, 33(1), 129-131. https://doi.org/10.4103/0255-0857.148411 DOI: https://doi.org/10.4103/0255-0857.148411

Maina, S. M., Andrew, N. K., & Caroline, W. N. (2016). Assessment of Level of Knowledge in Medical Waste Management in Selected Hospitals in Kenya. Applied Micro Open, 2(4), 1-7. https://doi.org/10.4172/2471-9315.1000124

Ugwu, E. I., Ekeleme, A.C., Okolie, S. T. A., Ibe, O. P., Chieke, C. F., Ibearugbulem, H. O., Omeje, M., Ede, A N, Awoyera, P.O, & Ugwu, E.C. (2019). Characterization of Medical Wastes from Selected Hospitals in Umuahia, Nigeria. Journal of Physics Conference Series (Online), 1378(4), 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/1378/4/042058 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/1378/4/042058

Akkajit, P., Romin, H., & Assawadithalerd, M. (2020). Assessment of Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice in Respect of Medical Waste Management among Healthcare Workers in Clinics. Journal of Environmental and Public Health, 2020(8745472), 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1155/2020/8745472 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1155/2020/8745472

Onoh, L. (2018). Comparison of Hospital Waste Management by Healthcare Workers in Two Selected (Private and Public) Hospitals in Enugu, South East Nigeria. Natl J Integr Res Med, 9(4), 55-61. Retrieved from https://nicpd.ac.in/ojs-/index.php/njirm/article/view/2383

Malik, N., Mehmood, Z., & Mahmood, B. (2021). Bio-Medical Waste Management Practices Among Healthcare Professionals: A Case Study in District Faisalabad, Punjab Pakistan. Pakistan Journal of Social Research, 3(4), 535-540. https://doi.org/10.52567/pjsr.v3i4.315 DOI: https://doi.org/10.52567/pjsr.v3i4.315

WHO. (2017). Safe Management of Wastes from Health-Care Activities. Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization. Available: https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/259491

WHO. (2014). Safe Management of Wastes from Healthcare Activities, 2nd ed. Geneva, Switzerland: WHO.

WHO. (2018). Health-care waste. Available: https://www.who.int/en/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/health-care-waste

USEPA. (1990). Guides to Pollution Prevention, Selected Hospital Waste Stream. Washington, DC, USA: EPA Office of Research and Development.

Al Fatlawi, S., & Al-Alwani, M. (2023). A Model for Predicting Medical Solid Waste in Hilla City, Iraq. J Environ Health Sustain Dev, 8(1), 1923-1937. https://doi.org/10.18502/jehsd.v8i1.12325 DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/jehsd.v8i1.12325

Nor Faiza, M., Noor Artika, H., & Yusof, M. (2019). Healthcare Waste Management and Sustainable Development Goals in Malaysia. Journal of Wastes and Biomass Management, 1(1), 18-20. https://doi.org/10.26480/jwbm.01.2019.18.20 DOI: https://doi.org/10.26480/jwbm.01.2019.18.20

Ansari, M., Ehrampoush, M. H., Farzadkia, M., & Ahmadi, E. (2019). Dynamic Assessment of Economic and Environmental Performance Index and Generation, Composition, Environmental and Human Health Risks of Hospital Solid Waste in Developing Countries; A state of the art of review. Environment International, 132(105073), 1-18. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2019.105073 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2019.105073

Adu, R. O., Gyasi, S. F., Essumang, D. K., & Otabil, K. B. (2020). Medical Waste-Sorting and Management Practices in Five Hospitals in Ghana. Journal of Environmental and Public Health, 2020(2934296), 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1155/2020/2934296 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1155/2020/2934296

Gidarakos, E., Petrantonaki, M., Anastasiadou, K., & Schramm, K. (2009). Characterization and hazard evaluation of bottom ash produced from incinerated hospital waste. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 172(2-3), 935–942. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2009.07.080 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2009.07.080

Al-Khatib, I., Khalaf, A., Al-Sari, M., & Anayah, F. (2020). Medical waste management at three hospitals in Jenin district, Palestine. Environ Monit Assess, 192(10), 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-019-7992-0 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-019-7992-0

Odonkor, S., & Mahami, T. (2020). Healthcare waste management in Ghanaian hospitals: Associated public health and environmental challenges. Waste Management & Research, 00(0), 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1177/0734242X20914748

Awad, A. R., Obeidat, M., & Al-Shareef, B. (2004). Mathematical-Statistical Models of Generated Hazardous Hospital Solid Waste. Journal of Environmental Science and Health, Part A: Toxic/Hazardous Substances and Environmental Engineering, 39(2), 315-327. https://doi.org/10.1081/ESE-120027524 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1081/ESE-120027524

Sapkota, B., Gupta, G. K., & Mainali, D. (2014). Impact of intervention on healthcare waste management practices in a tertiary care governmental hospital of Nepal. BMC Public Health, 14(1005), 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-14-1005 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-14-1005

Som, U., & Hossain, M. S. (2018). Medical Waste Management is Vital for Safe Town Development: An Incident Study in Jessore Town, Bangladesh. European Journal of Sustainable Development Research, 2(3), 36, 1-9. https://doi.org/10.20897/ejosdr/2668 DOI: https://doi.org/10.20897/ejosdr/2668

Bdour, A., Altrabsheh, B., Hadadin, N., & Al-Shareif, M. (2007). Assessment of Medical Wastes Management Practice: A Case Study of the Northern Part of Jordan. Waste Management, 27(2), 746-759. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2006.03.004 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2006.03.004

Khedre, H. B., Saleh, A., & Abdo, W. (2020). Assessment of Healthcare Wastes Management at Egyptian Hospital: Case Study at Qotour General Hospital. Journal of Environmental Studies and Researches, 10(2), 348-361. https://doi.org/10.21608/JESR.2020.136574 DOI: https://doi.org/10.21608/jesr.2020.136574

Alimohammadi, M., Yousefi, M., Mayvan, F., Taghavimanesh, V., Navai, H., & Mohammadi, A. (2018). Dataset on the knowledge, attitude and practices of biomedical wastes management among Neyshabur Hospital’s healthcare personnel. Data in Brief, 17, 1015–1019. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dib.2018.02.024 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dib.2018.02.024

Mbuvi, C., Kyulu, T., & Makobu, K. (2022). Proposed Solutions to Address the Challenges of Medical Waste Management in Health Facilities in Kamukunji Sub-County, Nairobi City County, Kenya. Journal of Medicine, Nursing & Public Health, 5(1), 47-67. https://doi.org/10.53819/81018102t6006 DOI: https://doi.org/10.53819/81018102t6006

Agyekum, N., & Wilson, A. (2022). Medical Waste Management Practices at Healthcare Facilities in Cape Coast Metropolis. Advanced Journal of Social Science, 10(1), 63-74. https://doi.org/10.21467/ajss.10.1.63-74 DOI: https://doi.org/10.21467/ajss.10.1.63-74

Egbo, M. (2016). An evaluation on the methods of medical waste disposal in Nigeria. Global Journal of Biological and Biomedical Research, 4(5), 189-197. Retrieved from https://www.globalscienceresearchjournals.org/abstract/an-evaluation-on-the-methods-of-medical-wasterndisposal-in-nigeria-47067.html

Mokuolu, O., Akindele, R., & Olawumi, H. (2016). Development of Improved Solid Hospital Waste Management Practices in a Nigerian Tertiary Hospital. Nigerian Journal of Technology, 35(3), 674–680. https://doi.org/10.4314/njt.v35i3.28 DOI: https://doi.org/10.4314/njt.v35i3.28

Dzekashu, L., Akoachere, J., & Mbacham, W. (2017). Medical waste management and disposal practices of health facilities in Kumbo East and Kumbo West health districts. International Journal of Medicine and Medical Sciences, 9(1), 1-11. https://doi.org/10.5897/IJMMS2016.1272 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5897/IJMMS2016.1272

Dewi, O., Sukendi, S., Ikhwan, Y., & Nazrianti, E. (2019). Characteristics and Factors Associated with Medical Waste Management Behaviour in Private Dental Health Services in Pekanbaru City, Indonesia. Journal of Medical Sciences, 7(1), 157-161. https://doi.org/10.3889/oamjms.2019.039. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3889/oamjms.2019.039

Rutayisire, E., Nsabimana, J., & Habtu, M. (2019). Knowledge and Practice for Bio-Medical Waste Management among Healthcare Personnel at Kabgayi District Hospital, Rwanda. Journal of Public Health International, 1(4), 36-44. https://doi.org/10.14302/issn.2641-4538.jphi-19-3005 DOI: https://doi.org/10.14302/issn.2641-4538.jphi-19-3005

Karki, S., Niraula, S., & Karki, S. (2020). Perceived risk and associated factors of healthcare waste in selected hospitals of Kathmandu, Nepal. PLoS ONE, 15(7): e0235982, 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0235982 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0235982

Wassie, B., Gintamo, B., Mekuria, Z., & Gizaw, Z. (2022). Healthcare Waste Management Practices and Associated Factors in Private Clinics in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Environmental Health Insights, 16(11786302211073383), 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1177/11786302211073383 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/11786302211073383

Oyekale, A., & Oyekale, T. (2017). Healthcare waste management practices and safety indicators in Nigeria. BMC Public Health, 17(740), 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-017-4794-6 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-017-4794-6

Ugbena, E. (2016). Assessment of Healthcare Waste Management Practice in Facilities with Previous Capacity Building on Healthcare Waste Management (HCWM) in Nigeria. South American Journal of Public Health, 4(2), 1-13. https://doi.org/10.21522/TIJPH.2013.04.02.Art008 DOI: https://doi.org/10.21522/TIJPH.2013.04.02.Art008

Mensoor, M. K. (2020). Medical Waste Management in Iraq: A Case Study of Baghdad. Waste Disposal & Sustainable Energy, 2, 329 – 335. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42768-020-00055-8 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42768-020-00055-8

Awodele, O., Adewoye, A., & Oparah, A. (2016). Assessment of medical waste management in seven hospitals in Lagos, Nigeria. BMC Public Health, 16(269), 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-016-2916-1 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-016-2916-1

Gao, Q., Shi, Y., Mo, D., Nie, J., Yang, M., Rozelle, S., & Sylvia, S. (2018). Medical Waste Management in three areas of rural China. PLoS ONE, 13(7), 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0200889 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0200889

Dawood, F. G., Huseen, D. A., Lateef, B. Z., Raad, M., & Muthanna, I. (2020). Management of solid waste in two hospitals in Baghdad-Iraq, in Proceeding of Materials Science and Engineering, 737(012206), 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1088/1757-899X/737/1/012206 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1088/1757-899X/737/1/012206

Macaulay, B., & Odiase, F. (2016). Medical waste management practices in developing countries: a case study of health facilities in Akure, Nigeria. Int. J. Environment and Waste Management, 17(2), 103–127. https://doi.org/10.1504/IJEWM.2016.076756 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1504/IJEWM.2016.076756

Kwikiriza, S., Stewart, A., Mutahunga, B., Dobson, A., & Wilkinson, E. (2019). A Whole Systems Approach to Hospital Waste Management in Rural Uganda. Frontiers in Public Health, 7(136), 1-9. https://doi.org/ 10.3389/fpubh.2019.00136 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2019.00136

Neves, A., Maia, C., De Castro e Silva, M., Vimieiro, G., & Mol, M. (2022). Analysis of healthcare waste management in hospitals of Belo Horizonte, Brazil. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 29(60), 90601–90614. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-022-22113-w DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-022-22113-w

Karenzi, J., Korukire, N., Basheija, D., Hakizimana, I., Ineza, M. C., Mukangendo, M., Kayitesi, I., Umutoni, E., Birasa, L., Niyitegeka, C., & M’Lurhe, A. A. (2019). Occupational Health Risks Associated with Medical Waste Management Practices among Health Professionals Working in Three District Hospitals in Rwanda. Rwanda Journal of Medicine and Health Sciences, 2(3), 252-257. https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/rjmhs.v2i3.7 DOI: https://doi.org/10.4314/rjmhs.v2i3.7

Kanisek, S., Gmajnić, R., & Barać, I. (2018). Risk of Potential Exposure Incident in Non-Healthcare Workers in Contact with Infectious and Municipal Waste Zdr Varst., 57(2), 65-71. https://doi.org/10.2478/sjph-2018-0009 DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/sjph-2018-0009

Jaber, S., Aljawad, A., Prisecaru, T., & Pop, E. (2021). The Environmental Situation of the Ash Medical Waste in Baghdad City Iraq. E3S Web of Conferences, 286(02017), 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1051/e3sconf/202128602017 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1051/e3sconf/202128602017

Afolabi, O., Aluko, O., Afolabi, B., & Fehintola, F. (2018). Healthcare waste management practices and risk Perception of healthcare workers in private healthcare facilities in an urban community in Nigeria. African Journal of Environmental Science and Technology, 12(9), 305-311. https://doi.org/10.5897/AJEST2018.2534 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5897/AJEST2018.2534

Olaifa, A., Govender, R., & Ross, A. (2018). Knowledge, attitudes and practices of healthcare workers about healthcare waste management at a district hospital in KwaZulu-Natal. South African Family Practice, 4(1), 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1080/20786190.2018.1432137

Thakur, V., & Ramesh, A. (2017). Analyzing composition and generation rates of biomedical waste in selected hospitals of Uttarakhand, India. Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management, 20(2), 877-890. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10163-017-0648-7 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10163-017-0648-7

Çetinkaya, A., Kuzu, S., & Demir, A. (2019). Medical waste management in a mid-populated Turkish city and development of medical waste prediction model. Environment, Development and Sustainability, 22(7), 6233-6244. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-019-00474-6 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-019-00474-6

Intharathirat, R., Abdul Salam, P., Kumar, S., & Untong, A. (2015). Forecasting of municipal solid waste quantity in a developing country using multivariate grey models. Waste Management, 39, 3-14. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2015.01.026 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2015.01.026

Tesfahun, E., Kumie, A., & Beyene, A. (2016). Developing models for the prediction of hospital healthcare waste generation rate. Waste Management & Research, 34 (1), 75–80. https://doi.org/10.1177/0734242X15607422 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0734242X15607422

Golbaz, S., Nabizadeh, R., & Sajadi, H. S. (2019). Comparative study of predicting hospital solid waste generation using multiple linear regression and artificial intelligence. Journal of Environmental Health Science and Engineering, 17(1), 41–51. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40201-018-00324-z DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40201-018-00324-z

Debita, M., Mereuta, E., Rus, M., & Musat, C. (2014). Aspects of Medical Waste Management in County Hospital. Applied Mechanics and Materials, 656(1), 515-523. https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMM.656.515 DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMM.656.515

Sabour, M., Mohamedifard, A., & Kamalan, H. (2007). A mathematical model to predict the composition and generation of hospital wastes in Iran. Waste Management, 27, 584–587. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2006.05.010 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2006.05.010

Idowu, I., Alo, B., Atherton, W., & Al Khaddar, R. (2013). Profile of medical waste management in two healthcare facilities in Lagos, Nigeria: a case study. Waste Management & Research, 31(5), 494–501. https://doi.org/10.1177/0734242X13479429 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0734242X13479429

Erdebilli, B., & Devrim-Içtenbas, E. (2022). Ensemble Voting Regression Based on Machine Learning for Predicting Medical Waste: A Case from Turkey. Mathematics, 10(14):2466, 1-16. https://doi.org/10.3390/math10142466 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/math10142466

Forghani, A., Mansourian, H., & Orangi, R. (2020). Applications of GIS and Expert Systems for Hospital Wastes Site Selection: A Case Study in Mashhad, Iran. International Journal of Geoinformatics, 16(2), 1-14. Retrieved from https://journals.sfu.ca/ijg/index.php/journal/article/view/1807

Torkayesh, A., Zolfani, S., Kahvand, M., & Khazaelpour, P. (2021). Landfill location selection for healthcare waste of urban areas using hybrid BWM-grey MARCOS model based on GIS. Sustainable Cities and Society, 67(102712), 1-16. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scs.2021.102712 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scs.2021.102712