Non-Incineration Medical Waste Treatment Technologies in

0,46

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Europe

42

stron

4048

ID

Health Care Without Harm Europe

2004

rok

Table of contents

Preface 2

Executive summary 3

Introduction: Why non-incineration technologies are preferable to incineration 6

Incinerators emit toxic air pollutants 6

Incineration ash is potentially hazardous 6

Incinerators are expensive 6

Incinerators must meet new emission limits 7

International Convention on the Elimination of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) 7

Waste reduction and segregation – the basic concept for the introduction of non-incineration

technologies 8

Medical waste categories 10

Non-incineration technologies – general categories and processes 12

Low-heat thermal processes 12

Chemical processes 12

Irradiative processes 12

Biological processes 13

Mechanical processes 13

Low-heat thermal technologies: autoclaves, microwaves and other steam based systems 15

Systems based on hot steam application – autoclaves, retorts 15

Microwave systems 21

Low-heat thermal technologies – dry heat systems 26

Chemical based technologies 28

Irradiation, biological and other technologies 32

Irradiation Technologies 32

Biological Systems 33

Small Sharps Treatment Units 34

Factors to consider in selecting a non-incineration technology 35

Economics of treatment technologies 37

Appendix: Non-incineration treatment technologies in Europe – case studies 39

The Centre Hospitalier in Roubaix, France 39

Hospital waste management in Portugal 39

Ireland has decided to treat hospital waste by a non-incineration technology 40

Slovenia has treated infectious waste using hot steam mobile units since 1995 40