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Atenuarea impactului COVID-19, în România, prin gestionarea corespunzătoare a deșeurilor medicale periculoase
[Reducing the impact of COVID-19, in Romania, through the proper management of hazardous medical waste]

Author

Listed:
  • Platon, Victor
  • Frone, Simona
  • Constantinescu, Andreea
  • Jurist, Sorina

Abstract

The research paper analyzes the ways of disposing of hazardous medical waste, which also includes infectious medical waste, and proposes some solutions to solve the identified problems. Regarding the evolution of medical waste quantities, in the context of the pandemic caused by COVID-19, it is obvious that large additional quantities of hazardous medical waste are generated. In Romania, the total amount of hazardous medical waste, generated by medical units with beds registered a jump: from a quantity of 8,900 tons of hazardous medical waste in 2012, it reaches 13,031 tons in 2018. It should also be noted that, the total medical waste, in the period of seven years (2012-2018) decreased from 33,732 tons to 15,424 tons (decrease of 54% or 18,308 tons). In 2018, there were several treatment / final disposal stations in Romania for the processing of medical waste: 11 incinerators operating in a centralized system; 14 thermal decontamination treatment plants at low temperatures operating in a centralized system; 23 treatment equipment operating within the sanitary units; 5 transfer stations used for certain categories of medical waste. The existing installations have a cumulative capacity of approx. 15,000 t / year: 11 thousand tons disposal by incineration and 4,000 t by cryogenic treatment. However, there is no information on the quality of existing installations, the degree of wear, the degree of load capacity, the performance achieved, etc. Thus, currently, in 14 counties there is no treatment facility for thermal decontamination at low temperatures of hazardous medical waste; there are also a number of 20 counties that do not have any centralized capacity for incineration of hazardous medical waste. In order to process the high volume of medical waste generated in the process of prevention and treatment of patients infected with the COVID-19 virus, this paper proposes a series of measures, investments and mechanisms.

Suggested Citation

  • Platon, Victor & Frone, Simona & Constantinescu, Andreea & Jurist, Sorina, 2020. "Atenuarea impactului COVID-19, în România, prin gestionarea corespunzătoare a deșeurilor medicale periculoase [Reducing the impact of COVID-19, in Romania, through the proper management of hazardou," MPRA Paper 100502, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    • Handle: RePEc:pra:mprapa:100502
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Covid-19; hazardous medical waste; infectious medical waste; disposal facilities; investments; measures; plans.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I18 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health

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