Pollution Research Paper

MEDICAL WASTE GENERATION FROM COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS IN SURABAYA AND THE IMPROVEMENT IN ITS MANAGEMENT

SUSI A. WILUJENG, ENRI DAMANHURI AND MOCHAMMAD CHAERUL

Abstract

Solid waste generated from health care service activities contain hazardous waste and posing risk to health and environment, thus its management must follow specific rules. With increasing number of patients in Community health care (HCH) the amount of solid waste is also increasing. The aim of this study was to investigate how CHC solid waste management is conducted compared to the related regulation. The generation rate as well as composition of the waste were also determined to formulate recommendations for improvement. The survey has been done by questionnaire and field observation to 31 CHC, and by waste sampling to 16 CHC. For five days in a row, technical aspects of waste management in CHC was recorded. A descriptive analysis was performed by tabulating questionnaire result and technical aspects of waste management is evaluated by comparing it to the relevant regulation such as Regulation of Ministry of Environmental and Forestry Number 56, 2015. The results show that CHC’s solid waste is categorized into three type: general waste, infectious waste, and sharps with composition of 56%, 32% and 12%, respectively. Non-medical waste generation rate is 0,030 Kg/patient/day and medical waste is 0,024 Kg/patient/day. Medical waste is handled from the source by separation, on-site collection, storage, and transportation to the treatment site by third party. All those steps have not been properly conducted or have not conformed to the regulation, therefore in need of improvement. The development of comunal temporary waste storage equipped with air conditioning system must be done by CHC that has available area. The medical waste is transported from CHC to five temporary storage facilities in Surabaya by three-wheeled vehicle that already have waste transportation permit.