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Copyright of Saúde Coletiva is the property of MPM Comunicacao and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The Covid-19 pandemic has caused the alteration of many aspects of the solid waste management chain, such as variations in the waste composition, generation and disposal. Various studies have examined these changes with analysis of integrated waste management strategies; qualitative studies on perceived variations and statistical evaluations based on waste collected or disposed in landfills. Despite this information there is a need for updated data on waste generation and composition, especially in developing countries. The objective of this article is to develop a data sampling and analytical approach for the collection of data on household waste generation and composition during the pandemic; and, in addition, estimate the daily generation of masks in the study area. The proposed methodology is based on the principles of citizen science and utilizes virtual tools to contact participants, and for the training and collection of information. The study participants collected the information, installed segregation bins in their homes and trained their relatives in waste segregation. The article presents the results of the application of the methodology in an urban district of Lima (Peru) in August 2020. The results suggest an apparent decrease in household waste per capita and a slight increase in plastics composition in the study area. It is estimated that each participant generates 0.124 masks per day and 0.085 pairs of gloves per day. The method developed and results presented can be used as a tool for public awareness and training on household waste characterization and segregation. Furthermore it can provide the necessary evidence to inform policy directives in response household waste issues and Covid-19 restrictions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Management of healthcare waste has gained wide attention in the recent years. This work reviews recent sustainable management of healthcare waste practices, the importance of legalizations, role of clinical waste producing bodies, emerging management trends, and treatment technologies. Furthermore, waste generated in the treatment processes and the health and environmental impacts of recent technologies are also examined. Sustainable assessment of technologies, to this point, revealed that in often cases, autoclave assisted with shredder could be a better alternative for the treatment of hazardous healthcare wastes while landfilling of healthcare waste received the lowest ranking. Studies are required to consider more reliable assessment methods for treatment technologies. This work can serve educators, researchers, as well as all the medical staff from nurses to doctors and volunteers who tirelessly contribute to the society in keeping people away from many diseases including the current global pandemic outbreak due to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 through the best and most sustainable practices in medical waste management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a personalized comprehensive cloud-based method for heterogeneous multi-attribute group decision-making (MAGDM), in which the evaluations of alternatives on attributes are represented by LTs (linguistic terms), PLTSs (probabilistic linguistic term sets) and LHFSs (linguistic hesitant fuzzy sets). As an effective tool to describe LTs, cloud model is used to quantify the qualitative evaluations. Firstly, the regulation parameters of entropy and hyper entropy are defined, and they are further incorporated into the transformation process from LTs to clouds for reflecting the different personalities of decision-makers (DMs). To tackle the evaluation information in the form of PLTSs and LHFSs, PLTS and LHFS are transformed into comprehensive cloud of PLTS (C-PLTS) and comprehensive cloud of LHFS (C-LHFS), respectively. Moreover, DMs' weights are calculated based on the regulation parameters of entropy and hyper entropy. Next, we put forward cloud almost stochastic dominance (CASD) relationship and CASD degree to compare clouds. In addition, by considering three perspectives, a comprehensive tri-objective programing model is constructed to determine the attribute weights. Thereby, a personalized comprehensive cloud-based method is put forward for heterogeneous MAGDM. The validity of the proposed method is demonstrated with a site selection example of emergency medical waste disposal in COVID-19. Finally, sensitivity and comparison analyses are provided to show the effectiveness, stability, flexibility and superiorities of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Bio-Medical Waste (BMW) management is of the utmost importance, as its improper management poses a serious threat to health care workers, waste handlers, patients, care givers, the community, and finally the environment. The waste produced in the course of healthcare activities carries a higher potential for infection and injury than any other type of waste. In addition to this, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has posed a huge challenge to all fields of the healthcare sector, starting right from disease screening up to biomedical waste disposal. Methodology: We assessed the quantity of Biomedical Waste generated in the COVID-19 isolation wards of this hospital from the month of March 2020 to February 2021. Over a period of 47 weeks, the data was recorded based on the color coding for biomedical waste segregation and the total waste generated per week was analyzed. Results: Upon analysing the data it was seen that in week 26 - 2088 kg of biomedical waste was generated, highest out of all 47 weeks. This was followed by weeks 11 and 16, with a total of 1969 kg of waste being generated. Week 38 had the least amount of waste generated- 308 kg. At the end of 47 weeks the total amount of waste generated from the COVID-19 isolation wards was 57,895 kg. Challenges to manage biomedical waste management were Human resources, Training, Usage of PPE, Quarantine practices. Collection of Biomedical waste and transport was out sourced. Conclusion: Biomedical waste is a serious health concern. Covid was highly contagious and it was transmitting very rapidly. To avoid transmission, usage of Personal protective equipment, segregation of Biomedical Waste properly according to the Biomedical waste guidelines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The coronavirus pandemic significantly increased the use of essential medical supplies, resulting in a surge in medical waste generation. This surge has spurred extensive research into sustainable disposal methods for safe and environmentally responsible medical equipment management. Addressing this multifaceted issue falls within the domain of multi-criteria decision-making. This study presents a comprehensive framework for selecting optimal medical waste treatment methods, considering economic, technological, environmental, and social factors. This is the first study to address the problem of selecting a medical waste disposal technology using the Fuzzy Dombi Bonferroni. The mean operator to combine expert opinions, the fuzzy preference selection index method to evaluate the criteria and the fuzzy compromise ranking of alternatives from distance to ideal solution method to rank the alternatives. According to the weightings, the social dimension holds the highest significance at 0.3217. Disinfection efficiency ranks as the most critical criterion, weighing in at 0.0823. The autoclave is rated as the top disposal technique, with a utility function value of 5.4579. Sensitivity analyses ensured the stability and reliability of the models. The adaptability of the applied model to sustainable practices such as energy conversion, material recycling, and resource recovery represents an essential aspect of policymaking in waste management. This assessment can guide policy formulation or improvement processes for waste disposal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bismuth sulfide nanoparticles (BiS NPs) were synthesized via the hydrothermal method, and reduced graphene oxide(rGO) and silver nanoparticles (Ag), which acted as substrates, have prepared using the chemical reduction method. The synthesized nanoparticles have been characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy, and photoluminescence spectroscopy. Commercially available paracetamol-500 mg (PAM) and aspirin-300 mg (ASP) were selected for photodegradation under visible light using the as-prepared composites in an aqueous solution. Photoluminescence spectroscopy was used to detect PAM and ASP using the photo-excited electron transfer (PET) process, and the limit of detection (LOD) has obtained for PAM(8.70 ppm) and ASP(4.43 ppm) with a sensitivity of 0.9954 and 0.8002, respectively. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was used to analyze the before and after degradation products and to confirm the disintegrated products such as –COOH and –CH– both before and after disintegration.. The experimental data were found to fit well with the Freundlich isotherm, suggesting that the as-prepared nanocomposites exhibited a heterogeneous nature for PAM (5119 mg/L), and the pseudo-first-order kinetic model suggests ASP (1030 mg/L) with R2 values of 0.9119 and 0.7075. The risk assessment analysis of PAM was 9.823 μg/L(RQ > 1) and that of ASP was 0.2106 μg/L(RQ < 1), indicating that PAM has a higher potential risk than ASP. The demographic data of the participants indicated that PAM was the most stockpiled medicine at home; this work also encompasses the action of a single PAM and ASP tablet toward the environment, if it is accidently disposed of improperly could create massive water/soil pollution; hence, the care/duty of each person should follow the proper disposal of medical waste because we cannot replace this environment. • BiSNPs@rGO/Ag composites successfully detect and degrade PAM and ASP. • Detection utilizes photo-induced electron transfer through photoluminescence spectroscopy. • PAM degradation tendency surpasses that of ASP. • Risk assessment indicates PAM poses a higher soil/water pollution risk than ASP. • Demographic data emphasizes prompt separate collection of stockpiled pharmaceutical drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Carbon from medical waste combined with ZnIn 2 S 4 photocatalyst was successfully synthesized. • Carbon from medical waste on ZnIn 2 S 4 photocatalyst significantly enhances the photocatalytic activities. • ZISC-0.5 photocatalyst exhibits nanothorn particles with carbon at the outer. • The hydrogen amount generated by ZISC-0.5 photocatalyst reaches 86.9 μmol for 5 h light irradiation. • The in-situ generated H + ions play important role for HER or hydrogenation of azobenzene in ZISC-0.5 photocatalytic system. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a massive increase of medical waste with the approximate amount of 16,000 tons/day in the worldwide. The generation of such huge medical waste will be serious health and environment issues if the medical waste disposal is not well-treated. Despite the fact that air and water pollutions decrease significantly during the pandemic, the era of post-pandemic could bring back these issues with even worse polluted condition. Therefore, alternative solutions to overcome the medical waste and pollution issues are urgently needed. In this study, medical waste was treated to obtain carbon combined with ZnIn 2 S 4 photocatalyst for photocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and hydrogenation reaction of azobenzene at mild condition under solar light irradiation. It was found that with the carbon amount of 0.5 wt%, ZISC-0.5 exhibits the most optimum photocatalytic performances. The amount of generated hydrogen by ZISC-0.5 achieves 86.9 μmol for 5 h light irradiation. On the other hand, the conversion from azobenzene to aniline by ZISC-0.5 was occurred within 2 h photoreaction as confirmed by UV–Vis spectroscopy and GCMS– analysis. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: During coronavirus pandemic, an unpredictable pile of biomedical waste (BMW) gathers at the top. India produces 710 tonnes of biomedical waste daily. The contribution of COVID-19 related biomedical waste was 126 tonnes per day in first wave of the pandemic. BMW's rapid growth is putting a strain on current waste management facilities, especially in developing countries. A sudden boost in biomedical waste needs rapid and proper segregation and disposal methods to avoid future consequences. From literatures and statistical data available on Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) it shows that India lags behind in large-scale sorting, collection, careful storage, transfer and disposal of bio waste. India has its own guidelines set by the CPCB to ensure the safe disposal of biomedical waste during diagnosis, treatment and quarantine of COVID-19 patients. Although there are strict guidelines for bio-waste management, many hospitals in the process of implementing them often dispose of waste in inappropriate, chaotic and indiscriminate ways due to negligence or laziness. Often, due to poor separation practices, hospital waste is mixed with general waste, resulting in harmful overall waste flow. Waste disposal handlers are not safe due to their exposure to various health risks and inadequate training in waste management. The present review sheds light on guidelines, measures, and challenges related to biomedical waste management. Short conclusion: Improper waste separation leads to improper waste disposal. Waste generation and management issues are causing daily problems as they have a profound impact on the dramatically changing global environment, including air, water and soil pollution. In addition, BMW's daily production and its processing are inversely proportional. This situation suggests that India will soon be drowning in its own garbage. The focus of this review is on the generation and disposal of biomedical waste. Based on a review of the literature, this evaluation provides a comparative picture of the current status of waste generation, national waste management strategies, and some measures to contribute to waste management and avoid future disasters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of ESTUDAM Public Health Journal is the property of ESTUDAM Public Health Journal and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Introduction  Hazardous healthcare waste produced at home contributes to approximately 0.5% of biomedical waste, and although potentially infectious, is often discarded with other domestic wastes. The study aimed to quantify and compare types and patterns of biomedical waste generated in homes and to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practices regarding biomedical waste among selected urban and rural households in the coastal area of Mangalore city in Karnataka. Methods  A cross-sectional study was conducted in households consisting of rural and urban field practice areas of a tertiary care hospital in coastal Karnataka from November 2017 to February 2018. A pretested semi-structured questionnaire on knowledge, attitude, and practice regarding healthcare waste generated at home was assessed. Qualitative variables of the waste segregation practice, types of biomedical waste, the knowledge, perception, and attitude to practices regarding biomedical waste were expressed in percentages proportions and analyzed using SPSS v.20. Results  Baby diapers were the most common hazardous waste. The number of baby diapers produced daily in rural and urban areas was 32 (42.7%) and 64 (85.3%), respectively. The urban households had better knowledge of possible hazardous healthcare waste at home, 28 (37.33%) compared with 7 (9.3%) in rural households. Seventy-one (94.7%) urban and 49 (65.3%) rural households had a favorable attitude toward the disposal of hazardous domestic biomedical waste. Conclusion  The knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding hazardous healthcare waste produced at the household level were better among urban households compared with rural households. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Medical waste is rising on policy agendas as a serious public health and environmental issue. The aim of this study was to assess current practices of medical waste management, which include waste generation, collection, storage, segregation, disposal, and use of protective equipment, in village clinics in rural China. Methods: Based on survey results from 236 randomly selected village clinics in 21 counties from three provinces of China, we used descriptive statistics to determine the medical waste management of village clinics in sample area. Results: We found that the generation rate of medical waste in sampled village clinics was approximately 0.65 kg per day or 0.17 kg/patient per day on average. Given the large number of primary healthcare facilities and population in rural areas of China, the total quantity of medical waste generated in these facilities is noteworthy. However, we also found poor compliance levels with the national regulations regarding medical waste management practices. A large proportion of medical waste was still not packed in required containers, and almost all village clinics did not segregate correctly. Moreover, a significant portion of village clinics used improper disposal methods and lacked the necessary protective equipment. Medical staff in these facilities pointed out four main difficulties in complying with national regulations: a lack of funding, equipment, designated areas, and management personnel specifically delegated for medical waste management. Conclusion: These findings suggest that Chinese policymakers and health administrators should pay more attention to rural areas in addressing potentially hazardous medical waste management practices by investing financial support as well as developing specific guidelines tailored to resource-strained rural primary healthcare facilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coronavirus disease 2019 brings about the economic damage and loss of life. Thus, demand of personal protective equipment continues to increase, consequently an increase in infectious equipment pollution. Most of these wastes threaten the environment and increase the spread of diseases. This paper provides a research hypothesis whether effective medical waste management would prevent the possible impacts of coronavirus disease 2019-related waste issues on environment at the city level. To confirm this hypothesis, installation of waste treatment centre is addressed. Then, by incorporating uncertain waste generation amounts utilizing Jimenez method, a pickup routing is addressed to decide the pickup routes between the waste treatment centre and residential area. This study is first to assign the optimistic, realistic and pessimistic scenarios of the uncertain waste generation using time series analysis method and waste generation formulation. Also, L-type matrix is used to define, assess and prioritize the environmental and operational risks on waste generation formulation and to provide risk reaction strategies. Practicality of these approaches is illustrated in the case of Turkey. The computational results reveal the effectiveness of the integrated method, which ensures practical and theoretical insights controlling the waste generation to prevent virus propagation for health authorities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although local governments have issued relevant reward and penalty policies, there are still problems of medical waste disposal in China, particularly in light of the special situation of the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, these problems are generated in the game between local governments and disposal enterprises. Accordingly, based on the evolutionary game theory, this paper establishes and analyzes the game system between local governments and disposal enterprises under four modes: static reward and static penalty, dynamic reward and static penalty, static reward and dynamic penalty, and dynamic reward and dynamic penalty. The theoretical analysis is verified through numerical simulation of a medical waste disposal case in China. The results showed that when local governments choose the static reward and static penalty mode, the game system hardly always has an evolutionary stable state, and the dynamic reward or dynamic penalty mode can make up for the shortcomings of the static reward and static penalty mode. The static reward and dynamic penalty mode is considerably better than the other two dynamic reward and penalty modes, which has the best effect on improving the quality of medical waste disposal. Additionally, if the reward or penalty increases dynamically, local governments tend to implement a "relaxed supervision" strategy, and disposal enterprises will still improve the disposal quality of medical waste. The suggestions proposed based on the research conclusions offer some enlightenment for policymakers to formulate reasonable reward and penalty measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports that initial release of the International Society of Oncology Pharmacy Practitioners (ISOPP) Standards for the Safe Handling of Cytotoxic Drugs in has evolved in oncology pharmacy. Topics include Safe handling practices have been refined and new hazardous agents developed for treatment to pose new challenges for workers caring for patients; and the ISOPP Standards task force was appointed by society to undertake a comprehensive and evidence-based review of practice.

Background: Previous approaches for reducing dental waste have been focused on increasing the knowledge and awareness of Oral Health (OH) practitioners. For long-term changes, the emphasis should be on the education of OH students, who are the profession's future. This study aimed to investigate the knowledge and awareness levels of dental waste management and sustainability among second- and third-year OH students in New Zealand, and if their knowledge and awareness varied between year groups. Methods: Second- and third-year students were invited to participate in a questionnaire with demographic and close-ended questions. The responses were analysed using a simple scoring system to see whether students had a 'low', 'moderate' or 'high' level of knowledge. Results: Eighty-five per cent of participants were confident that they knew the Dental Council of New Zealand's (DCNZ) Infection Prevention and Control Standards. The majority misidentified the DCNZ's definitions of two of the three waste types produced by a dental clinic. Seventy-six per cent of participants correctly identified amalgam as the most toxic material to the environment from a list of four other options. Third-year students exhibited a lower overall knowledge than second-year students, with over 54% scoring a 'low' level. Conclusion: The research demonstrates that students would benefit from waste management and sustainability education being added to their curriculum at university. Further research could study students from other educational institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Biomedical waste can potentially compromise the environment and public safety if not safely disposed. OBJECTIVE: The aim was to assess the understanding and safe practices of biomedical and dental waste amongst the dental practitioners and practical year students amid the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: A structured and validated questionnaire consisting of 21 closed ended questions was used to collect data from dental practitioners and students working in hospitals and clinics. The questionnaire was distributed in paper and digital form amongst the participants. Descriptive analysis was performed for categorical and numerical variables. Spearman correlation test was used to assess the relationship between awareness and waste disposal practices of dentists. A p-value of≤0.05 was considered as statistically significant. RESULTS: More than three fourth of the participants were aware of proper dental waste disposal steps. One half was aware of the color-coded segregation of biomedical waste management. Two third of the participants were deploying safe biomedical waste practices. Nearly 68% subjects allocated separate labeled containers for disposal of COVID-19 suspected patient's waste. Furthermore, 71.63% participants were practicing PCR test before aerosol procedures. While 88.65% participants believed that the COVID-19 pandemic has increased the financial burden in terms of safe practices and dental waste management. CONCLUSION: The awareness and practices of the participants towards dental waste management was found to be moderate. Satisfactory COVID-19 prevention and transmission measures were observed amongst the participants. BMW management lessons should be included in the academic curriculum and training program needs to be adopted for mass awareness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hospital operating performance relies on the proper utilization of resources and procedures. Unfortunately, the waste of over processing through unnecessary healthcare can reduce patient flow and increase costs to patients and hospitals. This article examines two commonly used mechanisms for addressing over processing in healthcare: accountability (individual and cross-functional) through utilization reviews (critical evaluations of service decisions regarding the appropriate service at the right cost), and their interactions with healthcare information technology (HIT) infrastructure. Hierarchical regression analyses reveal insights into service flow (patient length of stay) and efficiency (operating cost per bed) using independent primary and secondary data from 250 U.S. hospitals. The analyses show contrasting results and tradeoffs. For utilization reviews, accountability focused on individuals is associated with lower cost per bed but longer length of stay, while results for cross-functional accountability are not significant. The interaction between individual accountability through utilization reviews and HIT infrastructure relates to incremental reductions in patient length of stay, suggesting a complementary relationship for managing hospital operating performance and over processing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The rising burden of cancer in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) has led to substantial efforts to improve access to chemotherapy. The present study's objectives were to obtain an overview of the safe handling practices implemented in LMICs' healthcare facilities when dealing with chemotherapy drugs and to prioritize opportunities for improving them. Methods: We conducted an online survey, from June 2018 to April 2019, among LMIC healthcare facilities dealing with chemotherapy drugs. Facilities were asked to self-assess their chemotherapy handling processes using Cyto-SAT, a self-assessment tool incorporating 134 items organized into 10 domains (management, personnel, logistics, prescription, preparation, administration, incident management, waste management, cleaning, and patient counselling). Data were recorded on an online platform (www.datapharma.ch/cyto-SAT). Results: The survey enrolled 53 healthcare facilities (15 from low-income, 26 from lower-middle-income, and 12 from upper-middle-income countries). The median level of implementation of safe practices was 63% (Q1:39%–Q3:77%). Facilities in low-income countries (LICs) reported lower median levels of safe practices than middle-income countries (MICs) [LICs: 32% (Q1:24%–Q3:62%), Lower-MICs: 63% (Q1:49%–Q3:70%), Upper-MICs: 85% (Q1:77%–Q3:93%)]. The biggest differences between country categories were observed in the domains related to personnel, preparation processes, and incident management. Conclusion: This overview of practices highlighted a large variability and major gaps in the safe handling of chemotherapy drugs in LMICs. Improvement strategies are needed to increase patient and staff safety and limit environmental contamination, especially in LICs. Safe handling programs should be part of continuing efforts to improve access to quality cancer drugs and should be integrated into national cancer control programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The aim of this study was to assess dentists' knowledge and practice about dental radiological wastes that are dangerous to the environment. Materials &Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in 2018-2019. All participants completed a two-section (knowledge and practice) checklist. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test and ANOVA. A value of P<0.05 was considered significant. Results: Totally, 204 (73.5% general dentists and 26.5% specialists) dentists from Amol (35.8%) and Babol (64.2%) participated. The mean age of participants was 39.2 (SD± 10.9) years, and 59.2% of them were female. The average percentage of dentists' knowledge and practice about radiological waste disposal was 42.55 and 43.12% respectively. Gender, work experience, special or general degree and city of clinical activity had no significant effect on dentists' knowledge and practice (P>0.05(. Conclusion: More than half of dentists had no correct knowledge and practice on how to dispose of radiological wastes. It is necessary to develop specific approaches such as workshops and training classes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose of Review: Our escalating reliance on disposable products in the operating room has generated a large amount of waste, cost, and environmental pollution. Heath damages from the pollution caused by the US healthcare industry cause as much harm, as measured by disability-adjusted life years, as total medical errors. Our response to our own environmental impact should be proportional to that harm. Understanding the waste streams we create and the factors that contribute to our large waste generation in the operating room can help us target solutions to our most harmful practices., Recent Findings: Recent studies within the field of medical waste in ObGyn have included a systematic review analyzing most effective practices for waste reduction and environmental life cycle analyses of specific medical procedures., Summary: Operating room waste includes regulated medical waste, pathologic waste/chemotherapy, sharps, general municipal waste, recycling, linens, and anesthetic gases. The most effective way to reduce the environmental impact from medical waste is to reduce our use of disposable supplies in favor of durable reusable materials. Other important interventions include eliminating 'overage' of unused supplies, optimizing use of anesthetic gas, custom pack scale backs, and proper waste segregation. This review of operative waste is intended to aid healthcare facilities in understanding and addressing their own environmental impact., (Copyright © 2024 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

The Internet of Things (IoT) has brought unprecedented changes to the society and permeated our daily life. However, it has not been successfully applied in the area of medical waste regulation, where the recycling and disposal of medical waste have significant loopholes in the management of classification, transportation, disposal, supervision, and other links. The source, authenticity, and integrity of medical waste data lack guarantees, and there is a risk of data tampering and forgery. Although there are currently some medical waste supervision applications combined with IoT-based blockchain domestically and internationally to facilitate information sharing and transfer, no verifiable method is provided for the information privacy leakage of medical waste operators. To address this problem, we propose a blockchain-based medical waste supervision model, which connects participants involved in the process, introduces digital credentials to achieve the protection of operator information privacy, and ensures that the entire data process is authentic and credible. By building a decentralized system architecture and setting intelligent contracts, we integrate and record the medical waste disposal regulatory information in different phases on the blockchain to form the supervision of medical waste chain. In addition, we digitize the physical credentials and certificates using digital credentials to achieve cryptography security and privacy protection. The regulatory model designed in this paper can provide digital certificates of disposal tracking information to the health, environmental protection, and other administrative departments in China. It can provide authoritative evidence for the supervision and accountability of medical waste disposal and support the construction of a new generation of medical waste regulatory information systems in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Healthcare waste management is considered one of the biggest challenges that the world is going to face in the future. This threat is becoming reality owing to the worldwide sharp rise in healthcare waste generation particularly during the current COVID-19 pandemic. Like many other environmental crises, hospital plastic waste management is an area that got very little attention despite being highlighted in the literature, local media, as well as in international electronic and print media. This mini-review was conducted to assess the overall prevailing situation regarding hospital plastic waste management in Pakistan. Several illegal and unethical activities have been observed regarding hospital plastic waste management in Pakistan which includes unhygienic recycling, repacking of used hospital plastic items, open dumping on land, and disposal of hospital plastic waste in the ocean. To improve these conditions, suggestions have been made regarding the better management of hospital plastic waste. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the demand for health grows, the increase in medical waste generation is gradually outstripping the load. In this paper, we propose a deep learning approach for identification and classification of medical waste. Deep learning is currently the most popular technique in image classification, but its need for large amounts of data limits its usage. In this scenario, we propose a deep learning-based classification method, in which ResNeXt is a suitable deep neural network for practical implementation, followed by transfer learning methods to improve classification results. We pay special attention to the problem of medical waste classification, which needs to be solved urgently in the current environmental protection context. We applied the technique to 3480 images and succeeded in correctly identifying 8 kinds of medical waste with an accuracy of 97.2%; the average F1-score of five-fold cross-validation was 97.2%. This study provided a deep learning-based method for automatic detection and classification of 8 kinds of medical waste with high accuracy and average precision. We believe that the power of artificial intelligence could be harnessed in products that would facilitate medical waste classification and could become widely available throughout China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pyrolysis of medical wastes is experimentally studies in a fixed-bed pyrolysis reactor. The typical mixture consisting of carbohydrates, polyolefins, and N-, Cl-, or S-containing polymers is selected as the raw material. The pyrolysis of the mixture components is also studied by thermogravimetric analysis methods. They yield the kinetic parameters of the component decomposition. The measurements taken in a fixed-bed reactor agree closely with the results of the kinetic calculation. Analysis of the obtained data enabled us to propose the best environmentally friendly method for the thermal processing of medical waste minimizing the environmental emission of toxic chlorinated compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article informs about waste and its practical implications and cost to the healthcare organization and customer. Topics include increased customer expectations and regulatory requirements have forced healthcare providers to reduce waste and increase customer satisfaction; and organizational leaders are focused on reducing costs and improving revenue streams and customer satisfaction.

COVID-19 greatly challenges the human health sector, and has resulted in a large amount of medical waste that poses various potential threats to the environment. In this study, we compiled relevant data released by official agencies and the media, and conducted data supplementation based on earlier studies to calculate the net value of medical waste produced in the Hubei Province due to COVID-19 with the help of a neural network model. Next, we reviewed the data related to the environmental impact of medical waste per unit and designed four scenarios to estimate the environmental impact of new medical waste generated during the pandemic. The results showed that a medical waste generation rate of 0.5 kg/bed/day due to COVID-19 resulted in a net increase of medical waste volume by about 3366.99 tons in the Hubei Province. In the four scenario assumptions, i.e., if the medical waste resulting from COVID-19 is completely incinerated, it will have a large impact on the air quality. If it is disposed by distillation sterilization, it will produce a large amount of wastewater and waste residue. Based on the results of the study, we propose three policy recommendations: strict control of medical wastewater discharge, reduction and transformation of the emitted acidic gases, and attention to the emission of metallic nickel in exhaust gas and chloride in soil. These policy recommendations provide a scientific basis for controlling medical waste pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Environmental Management System focuses on recognizing the environmental impact of any Organization in order to manage those impacts and ultimately to improve the Organization's performance in this area. Hospitals are predominantly Organizations with a strong environmental footprint, as significant amounts of material resources are spent on the production and delivery of services, and at the same time large quantities of waste are generated. In this case, therefore, the standard focuses on the management of hazardous medical waste, their separation and recycling or re-use, where possible, reducing energy consumption and waste of resources, ensuring the quality of drinking water and the use of environmentally friendly materials. In order to implement these good and efficient practices, it is essential to train staff and to engage in eco-conscious leadership. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, Nigeria has experienced increased outbreaks of Monkeypox, Ebola, Lassa fever, and the latest Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. As a result of the epidemics, highly infectious materials such as con- taminated needles, syringes, soiled bandages, and contagious disposable personal protective equipment are on the rise. This has resulted in vast volumes of medical waste generation in Nigeria. This study employs relevant scientific works of litera- ture in scholarly sites of Web of Science and Scopus, governments, and multilateral organizations regulatory guidelines for COVID-19. This is to conduct a critical ana- lysis of COVID-19ʹs impact on medical waste management and disposal measures in Nigeria during the pandemic. Results show that, with over 143.01% increase in less than a year, Nigeria’s daily average COVID-related medical waste increased from 131.24 tons/day in August 2020 to 318.92 tons/day in January 2021, leading to environmental pollution and a high risk of infection among health workers. The paper further highlights the total daily estimates of PPE (facemasks) used during the COVID-19 pandemic as 171,908,091. Medical Waste Management (MWM) chal- lenges persist in most developing and least developed nations as the global popu- lation and healthcare services rise. As it stands, Nigeria’s population is expected to exceed that of the United States by 2050, and with frequent outbreaks of an epidemic, there is a need for an effective MWM plan. Rapid revalidation and appraisal of the Sustainable Development Goals and the Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) for health care facilities in most developing countries is required. The inclusion of epidemic and pandemic readiness, natural disasters preparedness, and climate change is critical in the global objectives of the Sustainable Development Goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: To assess undergraduate, postgraduate dental students' and dental practitioners' knowledge of management of dental and biomedical waste and to focus on critical issues such as environment-friendly waste management. METHODOLOGY: A total of 273 participants were recruited from January to June 2019 through convenience sampling in this cross-sectional study; undergraduate, postgraduate dental students, and general dental practitioners from private and public sector dental colleges of Karachi. The respondents answered different categories of waste management, including biomedical waste rules, waste disposal measures, dental waste types, common dangers of improper waste management, and some particular equipment problems, data analyzed on SPSS version 17.00. RESULTS: From 273 (92.8%) completed questionnaires, 217(79.4%) were females. Undergraduate students were 61.9%, (n=169). Almost 64.4 % (n=176) of respondents didn't know about dental waste management rules. Among 75 % (n=205) of respondents, there was a consensus that qualified professionals should treat hospital disposal. Only 67.7% (n= 185) of individuals surveyed stated that they were familiar with the categories formed by dental waste. Approximately 95.5% (n=260) of respondents recommend workshops and Continues medical education seminars for waste management. Compared to undergraduate students, postgraduate students had a significantly higher mean score, decreasing the "know-do gap" (p=0.069). CONCLUSION: Among undergraduate dental students and dental practitioners, postgraduates were found to have a greater understanding of the correct methods for disposing of healthcare waste. However, the overall knowledge level of environment friendly waste management was insufficient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, an integration of multi-criteria evaluation, geographic information system, and remote sensing techniques were used for site selection of medical waste landfills in Kermanshah, Iran. Also, an environmental risk assessment for the selected site has been conducted in order to minimize the possible hazardous. The GIS and remote sensing were used for acquiring and preparing layers and maps and the multi-criteria evaluation was used for setting aim, criteria selection, criteria weighting, and final decision making. The results showed that only 1.2% of the study area is scored high-suitable, while 90% of the area is considered unsuitable that makes this region critical for preservation. After further assessment and field visits, a suitable site was selected for landfilling. Environmental risk assessment showed that the selected site poses a low-level of risks to the environment and surrounding areas and this is because various environmental and health aspects have been considered in the site selection process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Studies have shown that severe acute respiratory syndrome corona virus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a highly infectious disease, with global deaths rising to about 360,438 as of 28 May 2020. Different countries have used various approaches such as lockdown, social distancing, maintenance of personal hygiene, and increased establishment of testing and isolation centers to manage the pandemic. Poor biomedical waste (BMW) management, treatment, and disposal techniques, especially SARS-CoV-2 infected BMW, may threaten the environmental and public health in most developing countries and, by extension, impact the economic status of individuals and the nation at large. This may increase the potential for the transmission of air/blood body fluid-borne pathogens, increase the growth of microorganisms, risk of mutagenesis, and upsurge of more virulent strain. In contrast, uncontrolled substandard burning could increase the potential spread of nosocomial infection and environmental exposure to toxic organic compounds, heavy metals, radioactive, and genotoxic bio-aerosols which might be present in the gaseous, liquid, and solid by-products. The paucity of understanding of pathophysiology and management of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has also necessitated the need to put in place appropriate disposal techniques to cater for the sudden increase in the global demand for personal protective equipment (PPE) and pharmaceutical drugs to manage the pandemic and to reduce the risk of preventable infection by the waste. Therefore, there is a need for adequate sensitization, awareness, and environmental monitoring of the impacts of improper handling of SARS-CoV-2 infected BMWs. Hence, this review aimed to address the issues relating to the improper management of increased SARS-CoV-2 infected BMW in low middle-income countries (LMICs). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]