Implementation of HACCP in the risk management of medical waste generated from endoscopy

• Published in: Journal of risk research Vol. 11; no. 7; pp. 925 - 936
• Main Authors: Kojima, Shinji, Kato, Masahiko, Wang, Da-Hong, Sakano, Noriko, Fujii, Masafumi, Ogino, Keiki
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Taylor & Francis 01.01.2008
• Subjects: endoscopy; HACCP; Hazardous waste; Hospitals; Medical treatment; medical waste; Public health; Waste management
• ISSN: 1366-9877; 1466-4461
• DOI: 10.1080/13669870802180613

Medical waste poses health hazards, increases the environmental load and is costly to dispose of. To solve the above problems, we applied the hazard analysis and critical control point system (HACCP) to the management of wastes generated from endoscopy. First, the wastes in three hospitals were quantified. The number and weight of waste per case differed significantly among the three hospitals. Second, HACCP was applied to the endoscopy unit of Hospital X for a year. Wastes were segregated into five types and weighed. We found that 25.8% of 'infectious waste' was in fact 'non-infectious waste' and 'non-infectious plastic waste'. The numbers of needles and needle caps did not correspond in two occasions (needle-loss rate: 0.42%). Bacterial counts of the waste container were determined to investigate infection hazard. The counts were 0 cfu/cm 2 in all examinations except one occasion. The waste control manifests were reviewed, and all entries were consistent with the waste sent for disposal. In Hospital X where implementation of HACCP was attempted, reduction of environmental load and cutting of disposal cost are anticipated by changing the categories of waste segregation. The results suggest that hospital wastes should be managed more safely by HACCP.