A Proposed Circular Economy Model for Hospital Bio-Waste Management in Municipal Settings

Anastasios Sepetis (), Konstantinos Georgantas and Ioannis Nikolaou
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Anastasios Sepetis: Department of Business Administration, University of West Attica, 12243 Egaleo, Greece
Konstantinos Georgantas: Health and Social Care Management, University of West Attica, 12243 Egaleo, Greece
Ioannis Nikolaou: Business and Environmental Technology Economics Laboratory, Department of Environmental Engineering, Democritus University of Thrace, 67100 Xanthi, Greece

Sustainability, 2024, vol. 17, issue 1, 1-20

Abstract: This paper presents a proposed circular economy (CE) model for hospital bio-waste management, using Athens as a case study to demonstrate its applicability in urban environments. The model incorporates waste segregation at the source, resource recovery methods such as composting and anaerobic digestion, and data-driven tools to enhance the efficiency and sustainability of healthcare waste management. The study investigates the transition from linear to CE practices, focusing on structured collection strategies, collaborative efforts between hospitals and municipal authorities, and continuous tracking of waste flows. A comprehensive analysis of bio-waste volumes from participating hospitals over a three-year period is conducted, utilizing multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) tools such as TOPSIS to evaluate the system’s effectiveness. The results indicate a significant increase in hospital participation, improved waste separation, and optimized resource recovery, offering a scalable framework for other municipalities seeking to implement CE-based waste management practices in healthcare settings.

Keywords: climate change; sustainable healthcare; sustainable cities; circular economy; urban sustainability; sustainable development goals; bio-waste management; decision-making methodology; TOPSIS method (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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