Assessment of Medical Waste Management Practices in Ankara

摘要

Medical waste disposal is becoming a problem of increasing importance because of the recent increase in communicable diseases. The demand for medical care in Ankara, Turkey, is increasing because of high increase rate in population (due to high growth rate and migration from rural areas) as well as patients coming from other parts of Turkey. Therefore, the number of private hospitals, small and medium scale clinics have proliferated in the city. As a result, generation of medical wastes is increasing. In this study an attempt has been made to review the present medical waste handling, storage and disposal practices and to estimate the medical waste quantities and generation rates in Ankara City. It was observed that medical waste collection, storage and disposal is still a growing environmental problem in Ankara. The study reveals that medical wastes are not properly managed in most hospitals (both in state and private) and clinics and other health centers. Although, legal provisions with regard to proper management of medical wastes were set in 1993 with the Regulation of "Medical Waste Control", the medical facilities are characterized by inadequate and inappropriate refuse storage facilities, lack of refuse collection services, improper disposal methods and inadequate and inappropriate protective gear for refuse handlers. Therefore, stringent legislative control is needed.