Towards environmentally sound health-care waste management in the central district municipality of North West province

• Main Author: Mudau, Stephinah
• Format: Others
• Language: en
• Published: 2007
• Subjects: health-care; waste management; hospitals; Central District Municipality; North West Province; site visits; trends and issues; HCW
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10539/2073

Student Number : 0318613G - MSc research report - School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Studies - Faculty of Science === This report presents an analysis of health-care waste management in selected hospitals in the Central District Municipality of the North West Province, with a view of making recommendations that will ensure environmentally sound and sustainable health-care waste management in the study area. In contributing to the promotion of sustainable management of health-care waste (HCW), the study aimed to minimize waste generation and environmental impact of waste treatment and disposal, to enhance public health and safety, and to provide a safer working environment around hospitals. An assessment was carried out which involved a review of relevant literature, site visits, and interviews with key stakeholders in health-care waste management in the study area, to generate data and information on health-care waste management trends and issues. The major findings of the study include identified gaps in terms of the policy and legislative framework for the actual management of HCW, and issues relating to the mishandling of health-care waste, poor segregation, inappropriate storage rooms, and insufficient training on health-care waste management. Sustainable health-care waste management measures are proposed to improve the current situation at the health-care facilities in the Central District Municipality of the North West Province.