The Use of Disposable Supplies: Measuring Suburethral Sling Surgical Waste by Cost and Weight.

IMPORTANCE: The health care industry is a leading contributor to solid waste in the United States, and two thirds of a hospital's regulated medical waste is produced from surgery. OBJECTIVE: The primary objective was to assess the utilization of single-use disposable supplies during suburethral sling cases. STUDY DESIGN: We observed suburethral sling plus cystoscopy procedures at an academic medical center. Cases with concomitant procedures were excluded. Our primary outcome was the quantity of wasted supplies, defined as disposable supplies that were opened at the start of the procedure and were unused. Secondarily, we quantified those supplies in both weight and United States dollars. In a subset of cases, we obtained the weight of the total amount of trash generated from the procedure. RESULTS: A total of 20 cases were observed. Most frequently wasted items included an emesis basin, large ring basin, and rectangle plastic tray. Redundant supplies wasted included a 1-L sterile water bottle and, on average, 2.73 (SD, 2.34) blue towels. The sum of the weight of the wasted items among cases was 1.33 lb, associated with $9.50. The average total amount of trash produced from 11 cases was 14.13 lb (SD, 2.27). Removal of the most frequently wasted items would achieve a 9.4% reduction in solid waste produced by the case. CONCLUSIONS: A large waste burden per surgical case was produced by a minor procedure. Removal of frequently wasted items, a reduced number of towels, and smaller cystoscopy fluid bags are simple strategies that would decrease overall waste production.

Application of Field Sterility to Safely Reduce Cost and Waste in Cleft Surgery.

BACKGROUND: Healthcare spending in the United States remains a major concern, requiring reforms to control spending and curtail costs. Medical supply is one of the largest expenses for hospitals and strategies should be utilized to reduce nonbeneficial service delivery, which increases cost without concomitant increase in value. Introduction of field sterility is one of the potential strategies that has been applied in several surgical disciplines to improve cost-efficiency by reducing overuse of resources and decreasing enormous medical waste. Of course, this must be applied without a diminution in safety. METHODS: The PubMed, Medline, and Cochrane databases from 1980 to 2022 were used to review literature. Key words included "cleft surgery and field sterility," "sterile gloves and oral surgery," "oral surgery and field sterility," "sterile techniques and cleft palate surgery," "sterile versus nonsterile gloves," "sterile and non-sterile gloves and minor surgery," "skin laceration repair and sterile techniques," "sterile gloves and wound suture," "surgical site infection and field sterility," "operating room versus clinical setting," "operating rooms economics and hand surgery," and "main operating room versus ambulatory." RESULTS: The literature search yielded 827 articles. Following evaluation of titles, abstracts, and manuscript contents, 23 articles were ultimately included, of which 10 discussed field sterility and cost-efficiency for cutaneous procedures, 9 hand surgery, and 4 oral surgery. There was no study evaluating field sterility application in cleft surgery. In the reviewed studies, no statistical significance was observed in surgical site infection (SSI) with substantial cost savings and medical waste reduction when hand procedures were performed in ambulatory settings with field sterility compared to the main operating room (OR). Furthermore, no difference was observed for SSI in wound closure, excision of skin lesions, or Mohs micrographic surgery when nonsterile gloves were used. CONCLUSION: The incidence of infection following most cleft-related procedures remains low. As such, the application of field sterility may be ideal for this setting. The cost and waste associated with standard operating protocols are not warranted for many cleft procedures.

Application of Pyrolysis for the Evaluation of Organic Compounds in Medical Plastic Waste Generated in the City of Cartagena-Colombia Applying TG-GC/MS.

In this study, the thermal degradation and pyrolysis of hospital plastic waste consisting of polyethylene (PE), polystyrene (PS), and polypropylene (PP) were investigated using TG-GC/MS. The identified molecules with the functional groups of alkanes, alkenes, alkynes, alcohols, aromatics, phenols, CO and CO2 were found in the gas stream from pyrolysis and oxidation, and are chemical structures with derivatives of aromatic rings. They are mainly related to the degradation of PS hospital waste, and the alkanes and alkenes groups originate mainly from PP and PE-based medical waste. The pyrolysis of this hospital waste did not show the presence of derivatives of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans, which is an advantage over classical incineration methodologies. CO, CO2, phenol, acetic acid and benzoic acid concentrations were higher in the gases from the oxidative degradation than in those generated in the pyrolysis with helium. In this article, we propose different pathways of reaction mechanisms that allow us to explain the presence of molecules with other functional groups, such as alkanes, alkenes, carboxylic acids, alcohols, aromatics and permanent gases.

Quiz interativo: estratégia para capacitação de profissionais sobre manejo de resíduos de serviços de saúde / Interactive quiz: strategy for training professionals on the management of medical waste / Quiz interactivo: estrategia para la formación de profesionales en la gestión de residuos de servicios sanitarios

Objetivo: Avaliar a aplicação de estratégia tecnológica, Quiz Interativo "Manejando RSS", como ferramenta facilitadora para capacitação em serviço sobre manejo de resíduos de serviços de saúde para profissionais atuantes em Maternidade de Alto Risco. Métodos: Pesquisa exploratória, descritiva, abordagem quantitativa, desenvolvida no período de 14 a 17 de janeiro de 2020. A população foi composta de 60 profissionais de diferentes categorias, selecionados através de amostragem por conveniência. Os dados foram coletados através da aplicação de questionário semiestruturado ao final da participação dos profissionais na atividade de capacitação. Os dados encontrados foram inseridos no Google Forms, cujos recursos auxiliaram na análise descritiva de frequência e interpretação. Resultados: Do total de 60 participantes, 90% consideraram ótima a relevância do tema, tanto quanto 85% os assuntos abordados, 88,3% a metodologia utilizada, 58,3% o tempo destinado à atividade, 63,3% o aproveitamento da atividade, e a contribuição para melhoria da qualidade assistencial, 81,6%. Contudo, 60% dos participantes não emitiram críticas nem sugestões sobre a atividade desenvolvida. Conclusão: O estudo evidenciou que a estratégia implementada foi fundamental para estimular o envolvimento e participação da equipe multiprofissional em atividade de educação em serviço, contribuindo para as Boas Práticas no manejo de resíduos de serviços de saúde. (AU)

Objective: Evaluate the application of a technological strategy, Interactive Quiz "Handling Medical Waste", as a facilitating tool for in-service training on the management of Medical Waste for professionals working in High-Risk Maternity Hospitals. Methods: Exploratory, descriptive research, quantitative approach, developed in the period from January 14 to 17, 2020. The population consisted of 60 professionals from different categories, selected through convenience sampling. Data were collected through the application of a semi-structured questionnaire at the end of the participation of professionals in the training activity. The data found were entered into Google Forms, whose resources helped in the descriptive analysis of frequency and interpretation. Results: Of the total of 60 participants, 90% considered the relevance of the topic excellent, as much as 85% the subjects covered, 88.3% the methodology used, 58.3% the time devoted to the activity, 63.3% the use of the activity, and the contribution to improving the quality of care, 81.6%. However, 60% of the participants did not issue criticism or suggestions about the activity developed. Conclusion: The study showed that the implemented strategies were essential to encourage the involvement and participation of the multidisciplinary team in in-service education activities, contributing to Good Practices in the management of Medical Waste. (AU)

Objetivo: Evaluar la aplicación de una estrategia tecnológica, Quiz Interactivo "Manipulación de Residuos Sanitarios", como herramienta facilitadora de la formación en servicio en gestión de residuos sanitarios para profesionales que laboran en Maternidades de Alto Riesgo. Métodos: Investigación exploratoria, descriptiva, enfoque cuantitativo, desarrollado en el período del 14 al 17 de enero de 2020. La población estuvo conformada por 60 profesionales de diferentes categorias, seleccionados mediante muestreo de conveniencia. La recogida de datos se realizó mediante la aplicación de un cuestionario semiestructurado al finalizar la participación de los profesionales en la actividad formativa. Los datos encontrados fueron ingresados en Google Forms, cuyos recursos ayudaron en el análisis descriptivo de frecuencia e interpretación. Resultados: Del total de 60 participantes, el 90% consideró excelente la relevancia del tema, hasta 85% de los sujetos cubiertos, 88,3% la metodología utilizada, 58,3% el tiempo dedicado a la actividad, 63,3% el uso de la actividad, y el contribución a la mejora de la calidad de la atención, 81,6%. Sin embargo, el 60% de los participantes no emitió críticas ni sugerencias sobre la actividad desarrollada. Conclusión: El estudio mostró que las estrategias implementadas fueron fundamentales para incentivar el involucramiento y participación del equipo multidisciplinario en las actividades de educación en servicio, contribuyendo a las Buenas Prácticas en la gestión de residuos de los servicios sanitarios. (AU)

Targeted intervention to achieve waste reduction in gastrointestinal endoscopy.

OBJECTIVE: Endoscopy is healthcare's third largest generator of medical waste in hospitals. This prospective study aimed to measure a single unit's waste carbon footprint and perform a pioneer intervention towards a more sustainable endoscopy practice. The relation of regulated medical waste (RMW; material fully contaminated with blood or body fluids or containing infectious agents) versus landfill waste (non-recyclable material not fully contaminated) may play a critical role. DESIGN: In a four-stage prospective study, following a 4-week observational audit with daily weighing of both waste types (stage 1), stage 2 consisted of a 1-week intervention with team education of waste handling. Recycling bins were placed in endoscopy rooms, landfill and RMW bins were relocated. During stages 3 (1 month after intervention) and 4 (4 months after intervention), daily endoscopic waste was weighed. Equivalence of 1 kg of landfill waste to 1 kg carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) and 1 kg of RMW to 3kgCO2e was assumed. Paired samples t-tests for comparisons. RESULTS: From stage 1 to stage 3, mean total waste and RMW were reduced by 12.9% (p=0.155) and 41.4% (p=0.010), respectively, whereas landfill (p=0.059) and recycling waste increased (paper: p=0.001; plastic: p=0.007). While mean endoscopy load was similar (46.2 vs 44.5, p=0.275), a total decrease of CO2e by 31.6% (138.8kgCO2e) was found (mean kgCO2e109.7 vs 74.9, p=0.018). The annual reduction was calculated at 1665.6kgCO2e. All these effects were sustained 4 months after the intervention (stage 4) without objections by responsible endoscopy personnel. CONCLUSION: In this interventional study, applying sustainability measures to a real-world scenario, RMW reduction and daily recycling were achieved and sustained over time, without compromising endoscopy productivity.

Conhecimentos e práticas da enfermagem sobre os resíduos de saúde nas unidades pediátricas: revisão integrativa / Nursing knowledge and practices in relation to medical waste in pediatric units: integrative review / Conocimientos y prácticas de enfermería con relación a los residuos sanitarios en unidades pediátricas: revisión integradora

Objetivo: identificar publicações que abordam a educação em saúde relacionada à prevenção da Síndrome da Morte Súbita em Lactentes. Método: revisão integrativa realizada no PubMed, Portal Periódicos da Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior, Cochrane Reviews, Scientific Electronic Library Online e a Biblioteca Virtual em Saúde. Incluíram-se aquelas nas línguas inglesa, espanhola e portuguesa, sem recorte temporal, disponíveis gratuitamente, independentemente do delineamento. Excluíram-se duplicidades, literatura cinzenta, editoriais e cuja população eram prematuros. Resultados: identificou-se duas categorias de análise: temas para educação em saúde e barreiras e facilitadores de aderência às recomendações de prevenção. O profissional de saúde deve estimular as boas práticas de saúde, identificando barreiras e facilitadores para a adesão às recomendações. Conclusão: o profissional deve trazer a ideia de que todo bebê tem risco potencial para a síndrome da morte súbita e utilizar as estratégias disponíveis para tirá-lo da situação de vulnerabilidade.

Objectives: : identifying the current scientific production in relation to Nursing knowledge and practices on medical waste in pediatric units. Method: integrative review in the Scielo, Cinahl, Web of Science, Pubmed, Scopus and Embase databases, between the years 2016 to 2021, totalizing 13 articles. Results: the findings pointed to three main categories: knowledge and practices in relation to Medical Waste, permanent education like a tool for the disposal of Medical Waste; and sustainability in the context of Medical Waste and its relationship with social responsibility. Conclusion: it is necessary to provide the opportunity for periodic training, as well as the use of self-explanatory instruments that can help all health professionals, especially the Nursing professionals, at the time of practice. It was checked the presence of gaps was verified with studies showing Medical Waste and Pediatric Nursing.

Objetivos:identificar la producción científica actual en relación a los conocimientos y prácticas de enfermería sobre los Residuos Sanitarios en las unidades de pediatría. Método: revisión integrativa en las bases de datos Scielo, Cinahl, Web of Science, Pubmed, Scopus y Embase, con un marco temporal de 2016 a 2021, totalizando 13 artículos. Resultados:los hallazgos apuntaron a tres categorías principales: conocimientos y prácticas en relación a los Residuos Sanitarios, educación permanente con una herramienta para la disposición de los Residuos Sanitarios y sostenibilidad en el contexto de los Residuos Sanitarios y su relación con la responsabilidad social. Conclusión: es necesario brindar oportunidades de capacitación periódica, así como el uso de instrumentos autoexplicativos que puedan ayudar todos los profesionales de la salud, especialmente a los profesionales de Enfermería, en el momento de la práctica. Se verifico la presencia de lagunas en los estudios que destacan los Residuos Sanitarios y la Enfermería Pediátrica.

Gerenciamento de resíduos de serviços de saúde: avaliação dos procedimentos adotados em um hospital no Paraná / Health service waste management: evaluation of the procedures adopted in a hospital in Paraná / Administración de residuos de servicios de salud: evaluación de los procedimientos adoptados en un hospital en Paraná

O primeiro passo para a adequação do gerenciamento de resíduos de serviços de saúde (RSS) deve ser o levantamento de como ele é feito no ambiente estudado. Por isso, este estudo teve como objetivo analisar o gerenciamento dos RSS realizado pelo hospital Irmandade da Santa Casa de Misericórdia, localizado no município de Prudentópolis (PR). Os dados foram levantados a partir da aplicação de um questionário, de observações de campo e de registros fotográficos. A coleta dos dados foi realizada após a autorização do hospital e a aprovação pelo Comitê de Ética em Pesquisa, da Universidade Estadual do Centro-Oeste. Os dados mostraram que há falhas em diversas etapas do manejo de resíduos sólidos: na segregação, há falhas na separação dos grupos B e D; no acondicionamento, há erros de alocação do saco de lixo no recipiente correto; no transporte interno, há o problema de que ele não segue rota predeterminada, e os carros utilizados nos transportes não seguem o preconizado pelas normas; os locais de armazenamento temporário e externo também não atendem a todos os requisitos das normas. Esses problemas apresentados podem ser prejudiciais tanto à saúde e à segurança dos trabalhadores como ao meio ambiente. Assim, os resultados apresentados neste estudo fornecem subsídios para que o estabelecimento de saúde perceba quais fases do manejo dos resíduos podem ser aprimoradas e, assim, possa promover melhorias contínuas que minimizem os riscos existentes, tanto nas questões ambientais como nas de saúde.

The first step towards the adequacy of the Health Service Waste Management must be the survey of how it is carried out in the studied environment. Therefore, this study aimed to analyze the Health Service Waste Management of the hospital Irmandade da Santa Casa de Misericórdia, located in the municipality of Prudentópolis (PR). Data were collected from the application of a questionnaire, field observations, and photographic records. The data collection has been performed after authorization from the hospital and approval by the Research Ethics Committee of the Universidade Estadual do Centro Oeste. The data collected showed failures in several stages of solid waste management: in segregation, there are failures in the separation of Groups B and D; in packaging, there are errors in the allocation of the garbage bag in the correct container; in internal transport, there is the issue of not following a predetermined route, and the cars used in transport do not follow what is recommended by the regulations; the temporary and external storage locations also do not meet all the requirements of the regulations. These problems can be harmful both to the health and safety of workers, as well as to the environment. Thus, the results presented in this study provide subsidies for the health establishment to understand which phases of waste management can be improved and, thus, can promote continuous improvements that minimize existing risks, both in environmental and health issues.

El primer paso para la adecuación de la administración de residuos de servicio de salud debe ser el levantamiento de cómo se realiza en el ambiente estudiado. Por eso, este estudio tuvo como objetivo el análisis de la administración de residuos de servicio de salud realizado por el hospital Irmandade da Santa Casa de Misericórdia, ubicado en el municipio de Prudentópolis, en Paraná (Brasil). Los datos se recabaron desde la aplicación de un cuestionario, de observaciones de campo y de registros fotográficos. Se realizó la recopilación de datos tras la autorización del hospital y la aprobación por el Comité de Ética en Investigación, de la Universidade Estadual do Centro-Oeste. Los datos recabados mostraron que hay defectos en varias etapas de manejo de residuos sólidos: en la segregación hay defectos en la separación de los Grupos B y D, en el acondicionamiento hay errores de asignación de bolsa de basura en el envase correcto, en el transporte interno no hay una ruta predeterminada y los coches utilizados en los transportes no siguen lo defendido por las normas, y los sitios de almacenamiento temporario y externo también no atenden a todos los requisitos de las normas. Estos problemas presentados pueden traer daños tanto a la salud y seguridad de los trabajadores como al medio ambiente. Así, los resultados presentados en este estudio traen subsidios para que el establecimiento de salud perciba cuáles etapas del manejo de los residuos pueden mejorar y así minimizar los riesgos existentes tanto en las cuestiones ambientales como en las de salud.

Sentinel lymph node mapping for endometrial cancer: Opportunity for medical waste reform.

OBJECTIVE: As healthcare expenditures continue to rise, identifying mechanisms to reduce unnecessary costs is critical. The objective of this study is to estimate the annual cost of wasted indocyanine green (ICG) used for sentinel lymph node mapping in patients with endometrial cancer. METHODS: Using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results program database and Premier database, we determined the annual number of cases in which sentinel lymph node mapping with ICG would be used and the median cost of ICG to institutions and patients, respectively. We assumed that gynecologic oncologists use 2-4 mL (20-40%) of the currently available ICG vial kit (25 mg per 10 mL) per case. Estimated waste was then calculated using cost as a measure of institutional waste and charge as excess cost transferred to patients or payers. RESULTS: An estimated 45,864 cases of localized endometrial cancer were identified and eligible for sentinel lymph node (SLN) mapping. The mean total cost associated with ICG was 99.20 and the mean charge was $483.64. The estimated excess annual cost to hospitals was $2,729,825 to $3,639,767. Similarly, using mean charge data, the annual cost of wasted drug for patients and payers was $13,308,999 to $17,745,332. CONCLUSIONS: The annual cost of wasted ICG due to its current manufactured vial size exceeds $2 million for hospitals and $13.3-$17.7 million for patients. We suggest ICG vials should be packaged in a 10 mg vial kit (2-4 mL sterile solution) to avoid drug waste and the financial impact to institutions and patients.

Gerenciamento de resíduos de serviços de saúde na rotina dos enfermeiros da atenção básica à saúde / Gestión de residuos de servicios de salud en la rutina de enfermeros de atención básica de salud / Management of waste from health services in the routine of primary health care nurses

RESUMO Objetivo: avaliar a geração e o gerenciamento de resíduos de serviços de saúde (RSS) nos serviços inseridos na atenção básica à saúde. Método: estudo descritivo e de abordagem quantitativa. Esta pesquisa foi realizada com os responsáveis pelo gerenciamento de RSS de 27 estabelecimentos de saúde. Os dados foram coletados por meio de questionários autorrespondidos e pesagem dos RSS e foram analisados por meio da estatística descritiva. A pesquisa foi aprovada pelo Comitê de Ética em Pesquisa da Universidade Federal de São Carlos - UFSCar. Resultados: os 27 estabelecimentos de saúde geraram 719,665 kg de RSS, sendo 300,140 kg de RSS gerados pelas Equipes de Saúde da Família (EqSF) e 419,525 kg de RSS oriundos das Unidades Básicas de Saúde (UBS). Destaca-se que 66,6% (14) dos participantes de EqSF não souberam descrever como era realizada a segregação dos resíduos químicos; e 50,0% (6) dos respondentes de UBS não souberam informar o tipo de disposição final oferecida aos RSS. Conclusão: a elevada geração de RSS e as lacunas apresentadas no gerenciamento podem ser minimizadas por meio da implementação de medidas que visem à capacitação dos responsáveis pelo manejo e trabalhadores dos serviços de saúde, além da implantação da coleta seletiva a fim de contribuir para um desenvolvimento sustentável.

RESUMEN Objetivo: evaluar la generación y gestión de residuos de servicios de salud (RSS) en servicios incluidos en la atención primaria de salud. Método: estudio descriptivo con enfoque cuantitativo. Esta encuesta se realizó con los responsables de la gestión del RSS de 27 establecimientos de salud. Los datos fueron recolectados a través de cuestionarios auto respondidos y pesaje RSS y fueron analizados usando estadística descriptiva. La investigación fue aprobada por el Comité de Ética en Investigación de Universidade Federal de São Carlos - UFSCar. Resultados: los 27 establecimientos de salud generaron 719.665 kg de RSS, con 300.140 kg de RSS generados por los Equipos de Salud de la Familia (EqSF) y 419.525 kg de RSS de las Unidades Básicas de Salud (UBS). Cabe señalar que el 66,6% (14) de los participantes de EqSF no pudieron describir cómo se realizó la segregación de desechos químicos; y el 50,0% (6) de los encuestados de UBS no pudieron informar el tipo de disposición final ofrecida al RSS. Conclusión: la alta generación de RSS y las brechas en la gestión se pueden minimizar mediante la implementación de medidas dirigidas a capacitar a los responsables de la gerencia y trabajadores de los servicios de salud, además de la implementación de la recolección selectiva con el fin de contribuir al desarrollo sustentable.

ABSTRACT Objective: to assess the generation and management of waste from health services (WHS) in the services included in Primary Health Care. Method: a descriptive study with a quantitative approach. This research was conducted with the people in charge of managing WHS from 27 health care facilities. The data were collected by means of self-administered questionnaires, as well as the WHS weigh, and were analyzed through descriptive statistics. The research was approved by UFSCar's Research Ethics Committee. Results: the 27 health care facilities generated 719.665 kg of WHS, with 300.140 kg generated by the Family Health teams (FHts) and 419.525 kg by the Basic Health Units (BHUs). It is noteworthy that 66.6% (14) of the FHt participants were unable to describe how the chemical waste was segregated; and that 50.0% (6) of the BHU respondents were unable to report the type of final disposal for the WHS. Conclusion: the high generation of WHS and the gaps presented in management can be minimized through the implementation of measures aimed at training those responsible for the management and the health care workers, in addition to the implementation of selective collection in order to contribute to sustainable development.

Resíduos de Serviços de Saúde: o que mudou na legislação? / Waste from Health Services: what has changed in the legislation?

Introdução: os Resíduos de Serviços de Saúde (RSS) têm sido uma fonte de preocupação para os gestores hospitalares, pois necessitam atender às exigências legais; nos últimos anos houve mudanças no Brasil com a publicação da atual Resolução de Diretoria Colegiada (RDC) 222/18, que normatiza o gerenciamento interno dos resíduos. Objetivo: comparar a RDC 306/04 com a RDC 222/18 quanto ao gerenciamento de Resíduos de Serviços de Saúde, bem como apresentar as implicações da legislação em vigência. Material e Método: trata-se de uma pesquisa exploratória e descritiva, de abordagem qualitativa do tipo documental; para tal, criou-se um roteiro de análises baseado nas etapas de gerenciamento dos RSS; os resultados foram apresentados em tabelas por grupos (A, B, C, D e E) que foram as categorias documentais para a comparação da legislação RDC 306/04 com a RDC 222/18. Resultados: observou-se importantes mudanças na lei atual, com impacto para os gestores e profissionais que atuam em hospitais, como o descarte de bolsas de sangue e peças anatômicas caracterizadas como A1, liberação de descarte de equipamentos de proteção individual (EPIs) como resíduos do Grupo D comum, seringas e agulhas podem ser desconectadas quando tiverem o dispositivo de segurança, novos critérios para descarte de oito grupos de medicamentos, entre outras. Discussão: as mudanças citadas necessitam ser incorporadas nos planos de gerenciamento, planejamento de novos fluxos de segregação de resíduos e aquisição de novos coletores que em médio prazo podem contribuir na redução de custo financeiro, e diminuição dos impactos ambientais desses resíduos quando descartados de forma segura. Conclusão: ao comparar as duas legislações, o presente estudo contribui para direcionar as adequações necessárias, a fim de atender a atual legislação, com informações diretas para orientar novos critérios de classificação, acondicionamento, tratamento e destinação final para o gerenciamento seguro dos resíduos nos serviços de saúde.

Introduction: Waste from Health Services (RSS) has been a source of concern for hospital managers, as they need to meet legal requirements; in recent years there have been changes in Brazil with the publication of the current Resolution of the Collegiate Board 222/18, which regulates the internal management of waste. Objective: to compare Resolution of the Collegiate Board 306/04 with Resolution of the Collegiate Board 222/18 regarding the management of RSS, as well as present the implications of the legislation in force. Material and Method: this is an exploratory and descriptive research, with a qualitative approach of the documentary type; for this, an analysis script was created based on the steps of managing the RSS; the results were presented in tables by groups (A, B, C, D and E) which were the document categories for the comparison of legislation Resolution of the Collegiate Board 306/04 with Resolution of the Collegiate Board 222/18. Results: important changes were observed in the current law, with an impact on managers and professionals working in hospitals, such as the disposal of blood bags and anatomical parts characterized as A1, release of disposal of Personal Protective Equipment as waste from Group D common, syringes and needles can be disconnected when they have the safety device, new criteria for disposing of eight groups of drugs, among others. Discussion: the aforementioned changes need to be incorporated into management plans, planning new waste segregation flows and acquisition of new collectors that in the medium term can contribute to reducing the financial cost, and reducing the environmental impacts of these wastes when disposed of safely. Conclusion: by comparing the two legislations, this study contributes to direct the necessary adjustments, in order to meet the current legislation, with direct information to guide new classification, packaging, treatment and final disposal criteria for the safe management of waste in the services of health.

Characterization and evaluation of the leachability of bottom ash from a mobile emergency incinerator of COVID-19 medical waste: A case study in Huoshenshan Hospital, Wuhan, China.

To dispose of the medical waste generated during the COVID-19 pandemic, a new type of mobile emergency incinerator (MEI) was used in Huoshenshan Hospital, Wuhan, China, and consequently, it produced a number of medical bottom ashs (MBAs). In this study, the characterization and environmental risk evaluation of these MBAs were conducted to evaluate the disposal effect of this MEI used during the pandemic. Three types of leaching tests, EN 12457-2, TCLP 1311, and HJ/T 299-2007, were compared to investigate the release behaviors of major and trace elements from these MBAs. Lack of detection of COVID-19 in MBAs showed that this mobile emergency incinerator could thoroughly eliminate the COVID-19 virus in medical wastes to avoid secondary transmission. The results indicated that the increasing usage of chlorinated disinfectants and physiological saline solutions resulted in high Cl contents in MBAs. In addition, the increasing usage of polypropylene (PP) products changed the chemical properties and compositions of MBAs, with Ca as the main element. The leachability investigation revealed that the main metals in leachates were Ca, Na and K, and the toxic heavy metals such as Zn, Pb, Cu, and Cr in MBAs were difficult to extract because of the high pH (>12) of these MBAs. This study could provide consultation for the treatment and management of MBAs produced from MEIs dealing with emergent infectious diseases such as COVID-19.

Reduction of hazardous incinerated bio-medical waste ash and its environmental strain by utilizing in green concrete.

Incinerated Bio-Medical Waste Ash (IBWA) is toxic waste material with broad potential (cancer, genetic risk, premature death, permanent disease) to inflict severe health damage for the atmosphere and humans. This waste is disposed of as landfill, which contaminates the underground water and environment. The effective way of disposal of IBWA is by utilizing it as a building material, which can reduce the hazardous toxic materials. The use of Geopolymer Concrete (GPC) combined with IBWA as a substitute for Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag (GGBS) has been researched for its ability to create a new type of Green Concrete. The physical and chemical properties were observed for the raw materials. IBWA was used at 0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45 and 50% replacement by weight for GGBS. Mixing proportions were 1:2.21:3.48 respectively for GGBS, Manufacturing Sand (M-sand), and coarse aggregate. Fresh properties and mechanical properties were examined for all specimens. The findings show an increase in the setting time and flow of concrete and a decrease in density with improved utilization of IBWA. On the other hand, IBWA replacement for GGBS enhanced the mechanical properties. These results revealed that IBWA could be partially replaced as source material for Geopolymer Concrete. This research may contribute to the reduction of dangerous IBWA as a building material.

Resíduos de serviços de saúde em centro cirúrgico: adequações com mensuração do custo / Medical Waste in the surgical center: adjustments with cost measurement / Residuos de servicios de salud en centros quirúrgicos: adaptaciones con medición de costos

Objetivo: Identificar o custo das adequações necessárias a um centro cirúrgico para que este atenda à legislação brasileira vigente, que dispõe sobre resíduos de serviços de saúde. Método: Pesquisa exploratória, descritiva, de abordagem quantitativa na modalidade de estudo de caso do centro cirúrgico de um hospital universitário público. No protocolo, foi aplicada uma pesquisa documental, por meio de um check-list comparando a legislação brasileira vigente com a realidade encontrada, mapeou-se o processo com a técnica do mapa-fluxograma. Utilizou-se como método de custeio o custo direto médio. Resultados: Verificou-se o custo direto médio de R$ 7.891,25 para o hospital atender integralmente à legislação brasileira de resíduos de serviços de saúde, com adequações de infraestrutura e aquisições de longa permanência e um adicional no custo mensal de R$ 542,38. Conclusão: Para todos os grupos de resíduos de serviços de saúde do centro cirúrgico em estudo, são necessárias adequações a fim de atender à legislação, bem como articulação dos diversos gestores envolvidos no manejo e na mensuração dos custos relacionados aos resíduos para otimização de resultados econômicos em saúde.

Objective: To identify the cost of the necessary adjustments to a surgical center so that it meets the current Brazilian legislation, which provides for medical waste. Method: Exploratory, descriptive research with a quantitative approach in the modality of case study of the surgical center of a public university hospital. In the protocol, a documental research was applied, through a check-list comparing the current Brazilian legislation with the reality found, mapping the process with the technique of the flowchart map. The average direct cost was used as a costing method. Results: There was an average direct cost of R$ 7,891.25 for the hospital to fully comply with the Brazilian legislation on healthcare waste, with infrastructure adjustments and long-term acquisitions and an additional monthly cost of R$ 542.38. Conclusion: For all groups of waste from health services in the surgical center under study, adjustments are needed in order to comply with the legislation, as well as the articulation of the various managers involved in the management and measurement of costs related to waste to optimize economic results in health.

Objetivo: Identificar el costo de los ajustes necesarios a un Centro Quirúrgico (CQ), para que cumpla con la legislación brasileña vigente que prevé Residuos de Servicios de Salud (RSS). Método: Investigación exploratoria descriptiva con abordaje cuantitativo en la modalidad de estudio de caso de un CQ en un Hospital Universitario Público. En el protocolo se aplicó investigación documental, a través de un checklist de la legislación brasileña vigente con la realidad encontrada, se mapeó el proceso mediante la técnica de diagrama de flujo-mapa. Se utilizó el costo directo promedio como método de cálculo de costos. Resultados: Hubo un costo directo promedio de R$ 7.891,25 para que el hospital cumpliera plenamente con la legislación brasileña sobre RSS, con ajustes de infraestructura y adquisiciones de largo plazo y un costo mensual adicional de R$ 542,38. Conclusión: Para todos los grupos RSS del CQ en estudio, se necesitan ajustes para cumplir con la legislación. Existe la necesidad de articulación entre los distintos gestores involucrados en la gestión, medición de costos relacionados con los residuos para optimizar los resultados económicos en salud.

Pyrolysis: An effective technique for degradation of COVID-19 medical wastes.

COVID-19 has led to the enormous rise of medical wastes throughout the world, and these have mainly been generated from hospitals, clinics, and other healthcare establishments. This creates an additional challenge in medical waste management, particularly in developing countries. Improper managing of medical waste may have serious public health issues and a significant impact on the environment. There are currently three disinfection technologies, namely incineration, chemical and physical processes, that are available to treat COVID-19 medical waste (CMW). This study focuses on thermochemical process, particularly pyrolysis process to treat the medical waste. Pyrolysis is a process that utilizes the thermal instability of organic components in medical waste to convert them into valuable products. Besides, the technique is environmentally friendly, more efficient and cost-effective, requires less landfill capacity, and causes lower pollution. The current pandemic situation generates a large amount of plastic medical wastes, which mainly consists of polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, polyethylene terephthalate, and nylon. These plastic wastes can be converted into valuable energy products like oil, gas and char through pyrolysis process. This review provides detailed information about CMW handling, treatment, valuable product generation, and proper discharge into the open environment.

Surgical team familiarity and waste generation in the operating room.

BACKGROUND: Wastage of surgical supplies results from inappropriate anticipation of surgical needs in the operating room and contributes to avoidable healthcare costs. METHODS: A retrospective, cross-sectional analysis of 28,768 elective cases at the University of Chicago Medical Center from 2016 through 2018 was conducted. Attending surgeon-scrub nurse and surgeon-circulating nurse familiarity scores were calculated. Odds of surgical waste generation based on surgeon-scrub nurse and surgeon-circulating nurse familiarity were estimated through multivariate logistic regression modeling. RESULTS: Teams in the third and fourth quartiles of surgeon-scrub familiarity were significantly associated with reduced odds of waste (odds ratios 0.80 [p = 0.003] and 0.83 [p = 0.030], respectively). There was no significant reduction of odds of waste generation as surgeon-circulator familiarity increased. CONCLUSIONS: Greater surgeon-scrub familiarity was associated with lower risk of waste generation. Cost savings may be realized through supporting staffing schedules that promote consistency of surgeon-scrub teams.

Compromising situation of India's bio-medical waste incineration units during pandemic outbreak of COVID-19: Associated environmental-health impacts and mitigation measures.

COVID-19 induced pandemic situations have put the bio-medical waste (BMW) management system, of the world, to test. Sudden influx, of COVID-infected patients, in health-care facilities, has increased the generation of yellow category BMW (Y-BMW) and put substantial burden on the BMW-incineration units of India. This study presents the compromising situation of the BMW-incineration units of India, in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic, from 21st March 2020 to 31st August 2020. This analysis revealed that on an average each COVID-infected patient in India generates approximately 3.41 kg/d of BMW and average proportion of Y-BMW in it is 50.44%. Further, it was observed that on 13th July 2020, the total Y-BMW, generated by both the normal and COVID-infected patients, fully utilized the BMW-incineration capacity of India. Also, it was made evident that, during the study period, BMW-incineration emitted several pollutants and their concentration was in the order: NOx > CO > SOx > PM > HCl > Cd > Pb > Hg > PCBs > Ni > Cr > Be > As. Subsequently, life time cancer risk assessment depicted that with hazard quotient >10-6, Cd may induce carcinogenic health impacts on both the adults and children of India. Therefore, to mitigate the environmental-health impacts associated with the incineration of BMW, evaluation of various options, viz., alternative technologies, substitution of raw materials and separate treatment of specific wastes, was also done. It is expected that the findings of this study may encourage the global auditory comprising scientific community and authorities to adopt alternate BMW-management strategies during the pandemic.

Effects of Occupational Exposure to Waste Anesthetic Gas on Oxidative Stress and DNA Damage.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to investigate the potential effects of waste anesthetic gas (WAG) on oxidative stress, DNA damage, and vital organs. METHODS: A total of 150 members of the staff at a hospital were assigned to an exposure group or control group. The 68 operating room (OR) staff in the exposure group were exposed to WAG, and the 82 non-OR staff in the control group were not exposed to WAG. Air samples were collected in the OR, and the sevoflurane concentrations in the samples were determined. Superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-px), and malondialdehyde (MDA) in plasma from the participants were determined to assess oxidative stress. Western blot analysis was used to detect γH2AX in peripheral blood to assess DNA damage. Hematopoietic parameters, liver function, kidney function, and changes in electrophysiology were assessed to identify the effects on the vital organs. RESULTS: The mean (±standard deviation) sevoflurane concentration in 172 air samples from 22 operating rooms was 1.11 ± 0.65 ppm. The superoxide dismutase activity and vital organ parameters (lymphocyte, hemoglobin, and total protein concentrations and heart rate) were significantly lower (P < 0.05) in the exposed group than the control group. The malondialdehyde, total bilirubin, and creatinine concentrations and QT and QTc intervals were significantly higher (P < 0.05) in the exposed group than the control group. There were no significant differences between the glutathione peroxidase activities and γH2AX concentrations for the exposed and control groups. CONCLUSIONS: Long-term occupational exposure to waste anesthetic gas may affect the antioxidant defense system and probably affects vital organ functions to some extent. No correlation between DNA damage and chronic exposure to WAG was observed.