Health care waste (WHO)

all waste generated by healthcare

establishments, research facilities, and health laboratories classified as

1. non-risk/general healthcare waste/domestic waste 2. hazardous waste
Prss, A., Giroult, E., Rushbrook, P., 1999. Safe Management of Wastes From Health Care Activities. World Health Organization, Geneva

Classification of Hazardous Waste (DENR) based on these four characteristics accordance with the Toxicity Characteristic Learning Procedure (TCLP):
Ignitable Corrosive Reactive Toxic
Department of Environment and Natural Resources. 2004. Hazardous Waste Management. Procedural Manual Title III of DAO 92-29

All individuals exposed to hazardous health-care waste are potentially at risk

Prss, A., Giroult, E., Rushbrook, P., 1999. Safe Management of Wastes From Health Care Activities. World Health Organization, Geneva

Certain infections, caused by more resilient agents, pose a significant risk to the general public and to hospital patients
Mhlich, M. et. al. 2003. Comparison of infectious waste management in European hospitals. Institute for Environmental Medicine and Hospital Epidemiology, Freiburg University Hospital, Freiburg, Germany

health-care workers, particularly nurses, are at greatest risk of infection other hospital workers and waste-management operators outside health-care establishments individuals who scavenge on waste disposal sites lower risk for patients and the public

Mhlich, M. et. al. 2003. Comparison of infectious waste management in European hospitals. Institute for Environmental Medicine and Hospital Epidemiology, Freiburg University Hospital, Freiburg, Germany

Metropolitan Manila Authority (MMA) Ordinance No. 16 Hospital Licensure Law (Republic Act No. 4226) Toxic Substances and Hazardous and Nuclear Waste Control Act of 1990 (Republic Act No. 6969

Soncuya, Matias, Lapid. 1997. Hospital Waste Management in the Philippines, two Case Studies in Manila. WASTE. Urban Waste Expertise Programme

1) black trash bag for non-infectious dry waste 2) green trash bags for non-infectious wet waste 3) yellow trash bags for dry and wet chemical and

use four types of trash bags for easy identification of waste:

other potentially infectious waste, pathological waste, chemical waste and sharps contained in puncture-proof containers covered with solution of lime 4) orange trash bags with trefoil sign for radioactive waste that will be stored in the hospital until rendered as inactive and/or disposed in accordance with the prescribed rules and regulations of the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute

hospitals are categorized as government or private hospitals specifies the needed physical facilities of a hospital for solid waste management such as the physical plant, hospital equipment and maintenance of these physical facilities

covers the importation, manufacture, processing, handling, storage, transportation, sale, distribution, use and disposal of all unregulated chemical substances and mixtures in the Philippines defines the prohibited acts and provides for administrative and criminal penalties

wastes, segregated or not, are collected by workers employed by the health care establishment(usually cleaners or janitors of the premises)
aware of local opportunities for recycling of components of the waste

unaware of, or insensitive to, the hazards associated with handling health care waste
generally take no precautions in handling, transporting and separating the waste not supplied with protective clothing or special equipment

Pescod, S. 1998. Hospital Waste Management in Four Major Cities. WASTE. Urban Waste Expertise Programme

plastic bags, covered bins/trash cans, and glass jars with covers
due to inadequate segregation of infectious from non-infectious much of the generated hospital waste is being disposed directly to municipal landfills

Department of Environment and Natural Resources. 1993. Pasig River Rehabilitation Program: Feasibility Report on Hospital Hazardous Waste Management in Metro Manila. Volume I

collected by the municipal waste collection service transported for disposal with municipal waste all types of wastes are mixed and transported, often along with municipal solid waste, to municipal landfills

Pescod, S. 1998. Hospital Waste Management in Four Major Cities. WASTE. Urban Waste Expertise Programme

existing treatment capacity is insufficient for the proper disposal of the major part of medical wastes generated in Metro Manila area the existing capacity for incinerating these wastes totals to less than 3 tons/day total daily quantity of dangerous medical wastes generated was estimated to at least 12.4 tons

Department of Environment and Natural Resources. 1993. Pasig River Rehabilitation Program: Feasibility Report on Hospital Hazardous Waste Management in Metro Manila. Volume I

In developing countries, medical waste has not received much attention and it is disposed of together with domestic waste Lack of a system of medical waste management, a lack of necessary supplies and facilities, a lack of knowledge among health workers and a lack of coordination among different ministries. A national program for medical waste management is essential in Palestine
Massrouje, HTN., 2001. Medical waste and health workers in Gaza governorates. Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal

In Lagos Metropolis, Nigeria, there is absence of full compliance with the protocol stipulated in the guidelines and standards of environmental pollution control There were problems in collection, segregation, storage, treatment, and disposal among the hospitals that were observed

Longe, E.O., Williams, A., 2006. A Preliminary Study of Medical Waste Management in Lagos Metropolis, Nigeria. Iran Journal of Environ. Health Sci. Eng., 3:2:133-139

In Dhaka, Bangladesh there is no proper, systematic management of medical waste except in a few private Health Care Establishments that segregate their infectious wastes Some cleaners were found to salvage used sharps, saline bags, blood bags and test tubes for resale or reuse

Hassan, M., Ahmed, S., Rahman, K., Biswas, T. 2008. Pattern of medical waste management: existing scenario in Dhaka City, Bangladesh. BMC Public Health. 8:36

Evidence that there are many flaws in the compliance, implementation and even in the construction of guidelines concerning hospital management in the Philippines and around the world Several studies have recommender several steps that may be undertaken to address these flaws

Recommendations:
establishment of directorates responsible for

medical waste management coordination of different ministries provision of adequate supplies and health education including encouragement of studies on different aspects of medical waste (creation of database information in different sectors, risk analysis and disposal methods)
Massrouje, HTN., 2001. Medical waste and health workers in Gaza governorates. Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal

Case studies in the Philippines have only focused on two distinct hospitals in Metro Manila Should include the University of Santo Tomas Hospital