Current World Environment

Introduction

A huge quantity of hospital waste is produced from health care institutions across the country, which poses health hazards Hamidia hospital of Bhopal city was selected to study the quantity of waste generated from different wards of hospital. The adopted waste management strategy in hospital, also studied during study period. The quantitative study of solid hospital waste helps in affective management of hospital waste as quantitative study helps to know the exact of waste generated from different wards of hospital which is turns will help in better handling and management of hospital waste.

Quantitative study of hospital waste also helps to decide the installation of treatment and disposal devices according to need, in this way quantitative study helps to eliminate installation of high capacity treatment and disposal devices like chemical treatment plant, incinerator etc. quantification of hospital waste helps in working out the shared cost of any combined treatment facilities if promoted by private of state agency.

The present study deals with the category wise quantification of hospital waste for the better management.

Material and Methods

The amount of hospital waste generated form different wards varies and have different combinations even if the total numbers of beds are same. Objective of present study was to quantity the hospital waste generated from different wards in hospital. For the study Hamidia hospital was selected which is the largest government hospital of Bhopal city with 885 beds. The study was conducted for one week.

Table 1: Physcio-chemical study and assessment of quantitative generation of hospital waste at samplings station no. MR-2 i.e., Govt. Hamidia hospital, Bhopal

^{X-Beds not exist NI-Non infection waste,           *-Department not exist,             I-Infectious waste,            GW-General waste}  

During the study hospital solid waste was collected separately form each department mentioned in observations table. Waste was collected category wised coloured bags (prescribed by Bio medical waste handling and management rule 1998) were given to safai Karamcharies for collection of waste and display sheets also given which contain names of the content and pictures and figures as most of the karamcharies are illiterate collected waste again segregated and weighed. After weighing bags contain with waste returned to safai karamcharies for disposal.

Results and Discussion

Results are represented in table 1. which is shows ward wise quantity of generated hospital waste and its percentage also.



Suggested Eco-Friendly plan for disposal of hospital waste 

Identification segregation of waste

Waste materials that always be considered as infectious and hazards, must be identified and segregate from the waste which is non infectious and non hazards.

Collection

Yellow bag is used to collect incineration waste (Human Anatomical waste). Red bag is used for highly infectious waste which is non incineration (contaminated solid waste) black bag is used for cytotoxic waste drugs, chemical waste, incineration ash and blue puncture proof bag is used to collect sharps.

Packaging and labeling

After collection of waste bags must be closed tightly and labeled indicating the contents, shift, time of collection, name of person etc. bags must be labeled with symbol of biohazard or cytotoxic

Treatment and disposal

Infectious waste must be treated chemically or thermally prior to dispose it. Waste of yellow bag must be incinerated at high temperature this waste must not be disinfected by chemicals waste of red bag be treated chemically and than finally disposal by deep buried method waste of blue bag (sharps) must be mutilate and disinfect first, then deep buried.

Recycling

Office and house hold goods can be recycled. This category of waste includes paper, aluminum foils, cans, newspaper, cardboards etc. X-ray films can be recycled for silver content. Mercury can be recovered from a variety of Equipments, brass can be recovered from anesthetic and other respiration fitting and plastics and glass can also recycled if segregate properly Degradable waste from kitchen can be converted into compost.

References
 

1. APHA standard methods for the examination of water and waste water Edited by Andrew D. Eaton, Lenore S. clesceri, Arnold E. Greenberg 19^th edition (1995).
2. Arion et al., Hospital Solid Waste Management, A case study, J. Env. Engg. Div., 106 (EE4) August: (1980) 741-756.
3. Biomedical Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 1998 vide S.O. 630 (E) Ministry of Environment and Forest Notification, dated 20^th July (1998).
4. HCOHSA, Report of the results of the Bio medical waste management survey. Health care occupational health and safety association, Toronto and Ontario Hospital association, Ontario (1985).
5. Mc Gate, A.M. Solid waste incineration and heat recovery at royal jubilees hospital B.C. Toronto (1980).
6. NEERI, manual on water and waste water analysis, Nagpur, India (1986).
7. The Environmental (Protection) Act, published in the Gazette vide S.O. 756 (E) (1986).
8. Tolerance limits for industrial effluent discharged the inland surface water Bureau of Indian Standards, IS:2490 (1974).
9. Witts, Information on Science and Technology Application Part-4, Waterfalls Institute of New Delhi (2004).