International Journal of Waste Resources

Infectious waste management in Japan: Assessment of current trends in waste measurement and reporting in general and psychiatric hospitals

World Congress on Sustainable Waste Management

June 21, 2023 | Webinar

Ritsuki Negishi

Hinodegaoka Hospital, Japan

Scientific Tracks Abstracts: Int J Waste Resour

Abstract:

Infectious waste (IW) may include waste contaminated with blood and other bodily fluids, cultures of infectious agents from laboratory work, or waste from patients with infections. Accurate and standardized measurement is an important aspect of waste management. In Japan, data on infectious waste generated by hospitals are limited. Therefore, we aimed to identify the current status of infectious waste management and disposal in hospitals. To this end, data on the amount of IW generated and IW disposal costs from 54 public hospitals—25 general hospitals and 29 psychiatric hospitals—between April 2015 and March 2016 were analysed. The results revealed the absence of a standardized unit of IW measurement, with 33 hospitals reporting IW in kilograms and 21 hospitals reporting it in litres. As expected, the amount of IW generated at psychiatric hospitals was significantly lower than that generated at general hospitals. The amount of IW produced correlated positively with the number of in-patients. Disposal costs varied not only by hospital type and prefecture but also across hospitals of the same type within the same prefecture. A system that consolidates IW data management using standardized units is necessary.

Biography :

Ritsuki Negishi is passionate about managing medical waste to improve the lives of healthcare workers and citizens and contribute to maintaining Japan's national health insurance system. Growing up on a small island in Okinawa, Japan I learned the importance of living in harmony with nature in a limited environment. After obtaining a LL.M, I became interested in healthcare policy, particularly in remote areas and islands. I aims to understand the current state of infectious waste disposal and raise awareness of the issue by analysing and disseminating information about it in Japan and sharing it globally to contribute to proper infectious waste management.