Waste Management and the Perspective of a Green Hospital—A Systematic Narrative Review

Abstract

The concept of a “green hospital” is used in reference to a hospital that includes the environment as part of its quality services and one that pays attention to the sustainable design of buildings. Waste disposal represents a potential risk for the environment; therefore, waste collection from healthcare centers is a key environmental issue. Our study aims to systematically review the experiences acquired in worldwide nosocomial settings related to the management of healthcare waste. Nineteen studies, selected between January 2020 and April 2022 on Scopus, MEDLINE/PubMed and Web of Science databases were included in our systematic narrative review. Operating room and hemodialysis activities seem to be the procedures most associated with waste production. To deal with waste production, the 5Rs rule (reduce, reuse, recycle, rethink and research) was a common suggested strategy to derive the maximum practical benefit while generating the minimum amount of waste. In this context, the COVID-19 pandemic slowed down the greening process of nosocomial environments. Waste management requires a multifactorial approach to deal with medical waste management, even considering the climate change that the world is experiencing. Education of health personnel and managers, regulation by governmental institutions, creation of an “environmental greening team”, and awareness of stakeholders and policymakers are some of the measures needed for the greening of healthcare facilities.

Roadmaps to green nephrology: a mediterranean point of view

“…Haemodialysis and operating rooms are among hospitals’ biggest producers of waste products [15]. However, every healthcare and logistic facility in a hospital has a carbon footprint and, in turn, is susceptible to interventions that may decrease its environmental impact.…”

“…But, what is a ‘green hospital’? It could be defined as ‘a healthcare facility that comprises environment as part of its quality services and cares about the sustainable design of edifices’ [15]. According to the website of the United States Green Building Council (USGBC), there are two main reasons for building green: client demand and market demand [16].…”

Green hospital practices on patient’s satisfaction in Indonesian hospital: medical specialist department case investigation

“…On the operational side, hospitals must implement energy management for energy efficiency and savings, including energy performance calculations, using environmentally friendly energy and selecting cost-effective equipment (Geethika and Devi, 2022; Lattanzio et al , 2022). Hospitals also need to maintain room air conditioning according to requirements and carry out maintenance consistently.…”

“…Hospital services are required to carry out efforts to integrate environmental sustainability and minimize the impact of medical waste on hospital infections, especially among patients who can cause new diseases (Lattanzio et al , 2022). Hospital practices such as mercury reduction, medical waste toxicity and chemical reduction are fundamental in the green movement in healthcare.…”

Death by compaction in a robotic dumpster

“…Robotic system information is automatically sent with real‐time notifications to a surveillance center, the role of which is to ensure its proper operation apropos of functionality errors and fullness alert. The particular robotic system had been in operation for a decade prior to the occurrence of the fatality, and is in general considered safe for placement in central locations, including hospitals and schools [5].…”