Section ENVIRONMENT
TOPIC Initiatives on the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic

IASO GROUP
IASO Group: Infectious Waste Management

Waste production may be prevented through:

• Getting materials procured in line with the needs of each hospital, avoiding surpluses and the purchase of larger quantities than those required.

• Optimizing the ordering times and processes, to reduce the chance of materials expiring.

• Keeping logs of the materials stored in warehouses, so as to promote the use of materials close to their expiration date.

• Getting materials procured that can be easily put to use.

• Participating in programs that sort the waste at the source, if possible.

Continuously

The Group has paid special attention to the management of infectious waste. Before disposal, infectious waste is stored in a special refrigerated chamber. Furthermore, radioactive waste remains refrigerated until it has been completely neutralized. Before being disposed, all infectious waste goes through a Radiation Detector, so that there is not even the slightest chance of hazardous waste leaving the area of the hospitals.

The general categories of waste produced by the Group hospitals are:

1. Urban Solid Waste (USW): waste that is similar to urban waste, e.g. from food preparation in the hospital kitchens, from catering activities, glass, paper, cardboard, plastic, metal, packaging materials and other non-hazardous waste.

2. Hazardous Medical Waste (HMW):

• Purely Infectious Hazardous Waste (PIHW): waste that has come into contact with blood, secretions or other biological fluids and which could potentially transmit infectious diseases.

• Mixed Hazardous Waste (MHW): waste that comes from the Pathology Labs, from chemotherapy departments, such as tissues, and waste that contains cytotoxic, cytostatic, chemotherapy or other medications.

Also note that IASO manages other Hazardous Waste (HW): Chemical substances that consist of or contain hazardous substances, as well as special types of waste: radioactive waste, alternative management systems: batteries, electrical and electronic equipment waste, discharge oils, etc.

Waste production may be prevented through:

  • Getting materials procured in line with the needs of each hospital, avoiding surpluses and the purchase of larger quantities than those required.
  • Optimizing the ordering times and processes, to reduce the chance of materials expiring.
  • Keeping logs of the materials stored in warehouses, so as to promote the use of materials close to their expiration date.
  • Getting materials procured that can be easily put to use.
  • Participating in programs that sort the waste at the source, if possible.

In 2019, the waste management at the IASO Group hospitals included:

  • Sterilization (t): 196,558
  • Incineration (t): 117.081
  • Recycling (t): 249.897