Algorithm for Life Cycle Inventory of Medical Waste Treatment Technologies Emphasizing the Role of Treatment Efficiency. (May 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Gusca, Julija; Kuznecova, Inga; Kalnins, Silvija Nora
• Is Part Of: Energy procedia. Volume 113(2017)
• Page Start: 423
• Page End: 427
• Publication Date: 2017-05
• Subjects: health care waste -- small scale technologies -- onsite treatment -- infectious waste; Power resources -- Congresses; Power resources -- Periodicals; Power resources; Conference proceedings; Periodicals; 333.7905
• DOI: 10.1016/j.egypro.2017.04.028
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1876-6102

Abstract

Abstract: Treatment of infectious health care waste is a prerequisite to ensure environmental and public health protection. In case of infectious health care waste, treatment can be organised at (1) a centralised waste treatment company or (2) on-site at the health care institutions. The efficiency of the treatment process is defined through efficiency of infectious and pathogen agents destroyed during the process and thus ensured to not come into contact with the environment. However, from an all-inclusive perspective, the environmental effects of health care waste treatment technologies should also include those impacts generated at least during the operation of technologies. The current paper presents a life cycle inventory framework of three on-site health care waste treatment technologies with a special focus on life cycle inventory data collection incorporating the disinfection efficiency factor.