Recommendations through a Complete Study on Healthcare Solid Waste Management Practices of Government Hospitals in Colombo, Sri Lanka
Bandunee C. L. Athapattu *
Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering Technology, The Open University of Sri Lanka, Nawala, Nugegoda, Sri Lanka.
A. P. Priyantha
Environmental Studies Unit, The Open University of Sri Lanka, Nawala, Nugegoda, Sri Lanka.
Masafumi Tateda
Department of Environmental Engineering, Toyama Prefectural University, Toyama, Japan.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Eighteen hospitals in Colombo, Sri Lanka were investigated in terms of understanding the current situation of healthcare management in the capital city of Sri Lanka. Questionnaires and investigations involving direct visit were done to obtain more concrete data. The study was carried out during January 2012 to December 2013. Out of studied hospitals, ten hospitals are being administrated by central government and the rest by the provincial governments. The focus of this study were the general information such as names and types of hospital selected for investigation, amount of waste generated, numbers of beds, etc.; waste types; sources of waste generated; segregation of healthcare waste; waste storage, transportation, and disposal; and adherence to regulations stipulated by the central government. The results of this study revealed that most of the hospitals investigated were neither satisfactory in terms of World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines for waste disposal, nor on environmental grounds. Several recommendations were made based on information obtained through this study including healthcare waste management plan, training, and education in each hospital with respect to waste minimization, efficiency from waste segregation up to disposal, minimization of health risks and environmental pollution.
Keywords: Healthcare solid waste, hospital, storage, segregation, treatment, disposal, regulation.