Medical wastes management in the south of Brazil
- Department of Hydraulic and Sanitation, Federal University of Santa Maria, UFSM/CT/HDS, Campus Universitario, Rua Vicente do Prado Lima, 355/201, 97105-390 Santa Maria, RS (Brazil)
In developing countries, solid wastes have not received sufficient attention. In many countries, hazardous and medical wastes are still handled and disposed together with domestic wastes, thus creating a great health risk to municipal workers, the public and the environment. Medical waste management has been evaluated at the Vacacai river basin in the State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. A total of 91 healthcare facilities, including hospitals (21), health centers (48) and clinical laboratories (22) were surveyed to provide information about the management, segregation, generation, storage and disposal of medical wastes. The results about management aspects indicate that practices in most healthcare facilities do not comply with the principles stated in Brazilian legislation. All facilities demonstrated a priority on segregation of infectious-biological wastes. Average generation rates of total and infectious-biological wastes in the hospitals were estimated to be 3.245 and 0.570 kg/bed-day, respectively.
- OSTI ID:
- 20875664
- Journal Information:
- Waste Management, Vol. 25, Issue 6; Other Information: DOI: 10.1016/j.wasman.2004.03.002; PII: S0956-053X(04)00055-8; Copyright (c) 2005 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, All rights reserved; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0956-053X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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