A Survey of Current Management Conditions for Infectious Wastes Generated from Osaka Hospitals

Katsuhito Yamaguchi*, Satoshi Soda*, Takefumi Kitanaka*
Masafumi Tateda** and Koichi Kuromoto***
* Department of Global Architecture, Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University
** Department of Environmental Engineering, Graduate School of
Engineering, Osaka University
*** Central Clinic Laboratory, Minoh City Hospital
+ Correspondence should be addressed to Katsuhito Yamaguchi:
(2-1 Yamada-oka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871 Japan)

Abstract
Generation and management systems for infectious hospital wastes (IHW) at five hospitals in Osaka were studied. All hospitals interviewed agreed that medical waste, including IHW, should not be incinerated on site, so as to avoid generation of pollution. Wastes should be treated by licensed waste management companies even if the cost of treatment would be significantly more expensive than self-treatment practices. The generation rate of IHW (L/year) was expressed by an exponential function of number of beds N, 2,350exp (6.95X10-3N) . Treatment of IHW cost the hospitals 40-70 yen/L. A case study on one hospital that generated medical waste at 498m3/year was performed for estimating percentages of IHW by divisional generation, by categories of medical supplies, and by materials used for medical supplies. IHW occupied 1.5% (v/v) of the total medical waste and generation of IHW from wards was highest. Latex was used as the main medical supply material, and showed 51% (w/w) . Other major materials used as medical supply materials were cotton, felt, and polyvinylchloride, percentages being 23%, 12%, and 7%, respectively. This basic data will be in the area of risk management and in developing appropriate treatments for IHW.

Key words: infectious hospital waste, waste generation, Osaka