Sustainable Waste Management In Hospitals
Free (open access)
H. Daxbeck & P. Amrusch
This paper refers to the waste management optimisation in hospitals. The goal is to develop the base for selection and implementation of waste prevention measures in hospitals, as well as to take practical action towards the preparation of waste prevention concepts. The application of the input-output analysis enables the identification and quantification of weak spots and waste prevention potentials in hospitals. The input-output analysis is built by considering the consumption (pieces) from the cost control and linking it with the analysis of the most relevant articles in a database: weight, composition and change during consumption and the correct waste disposal fractions are determined. In this way, the path of an article through the hospital can be described, from the purchase to the discharge as waste, and potential weak spots can be identified. Results show which articles are relevant for the contents of individual waste fractions. Waste gets thus a face, i.e. the contribution of each article to the total amount is known and steering measures can be derived and implemented. In this way, the basis is created for an efficient waste or environmental management. The benefits for hospitals include the fact that material flow analysis enables the identification and quantification of weak spots and waste prevention potentials in hospitals. Moreover, the outcome of input-output analysis is a basis for success in terms of efficiency improvements and monetary savings. As long as the database is being continuously updated, annual changes become detectable, and success resulting from implemented measures can be quantified. Identification of specific environmental projects is possible: The projects were developed together with the personnel. The innovation of this project is defined by the direct linking and balancing of purchase data with disposal data in the hospitals. Keywords: waste, waste management, environmental management, waste prevention, material flow analysis, input-output analysis, material accounting, hospital, hospital waste, health care.
waste, waste management, environmental management, waste prevention, material flow analysis, input-output analysis, material accounting, hospital, hospital waste, health care.