Waste Management and the Perspective of a Green Hospital—A Systematic Narrative Review

Sabrina Lattanzio, Pasquale Stefanizzi, Marilena D’ambrosio, Eustachio Cuscianna, Giacomo Riformato, Giovanni Migliore, Silvio Tafuri () and Francesco Paolo Bianchi
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Sabrina Lattanzio: Dipartimento di Medicina di Precisione e Rigenerativa e Area Jonica, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Piazza Giulio Cesare 11, 70124 Bari, Italy
Pasquale Stefanizzi: Interdisciplinary Department of Medicine, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Piazza Giulio Cesare 11, 70124 Bari, Italy
Marilena D’ambrosio: Dipartimento di Medicina di Precisione e Rigenerativa e Area Jonica, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Piazza Giulio Cesare 11, 70124 Bari, Italy
Eustachio Cuscianna: Interdisciplinary Department of Medicine, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Piazza Giulio Cesare 11, 70124 Bari, Italy
Giacomo Riformato: Interdisciplinary Department of Medicine, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Piazza Giulio Cesare 11, 70124 Bari, Italy
Giovanni Migliore: Bari Policlinico University Hospital, 70124 Bari, Italy
Silvio Tafuri: Interdisciplinary Department of Medicine, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Piazza Giulio Cesare 11, 70124 Bari, Italy
Francesco Paolo Bianchi: Interdisciplinary Department of Medicine, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Piazza Giulio Cesare 11, 70124 Bari, Italy

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 23, 1-9

Abstract: The concept of a “green hospital” is used in reference to a hospital that includes the environment as part of its quality services and one that pays attention to the sustainable design of buildings. Waste disposal represents a potential risk for the environment; therefore, waste collection from healthcare centers is a key environmental issue. Our study aims to systematically review the experiences acquired in worldwide nosocomial settings related to the management of healthcare waste. Nineteen studies, selected between January 2020 and April 2022 on Scopus, MEDLINE/PubMed and Web of Science databases were included in our systematic narrative review. Operating room and hemodialysis activities seem to be the procedures most associated with waste production. To deal with waste production, the 5Rs rule (reduce, reuse, recycle, rethink and research) was a common suggested strategy to derive the maximum practical benefit while generating the minimum amount of waste. In this context, the COVID-19 pandemic slowed down the greening process of nosocomial environments. Waste management requires a multifactorial approach to deal with medical waste management, even considering the climate change that the world is experiencing. Education of health personnel and managers, regulation by governmental institutions, creation of an “environmental greening team”, and awareness of stakeholders and policymakers are some of the measures needed for the greening of healthcare facilities.

Keywords: healthcare workers; green hospital; operating room; climate change; COVID-19 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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