Microwaves ecofriendly alternative for a safe treatment of medical waste

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

BACKGROUND

Since EU accession, Romania and Bulgaria are now obligated to treat all hospital waste. In 2008, the healthcare sector in Romania generated 33 730 tonnes of hospital waste per year, of which around 10 427 tonnes was dangerous infectious waste, and 2 491 tonnes was cutting/pricking waste.

Currently, 80 companies operating in Romania are authorised to transport hazardous medical waste. Given Romania’s obligations under EU directives transposed into national legislation, 58 incinerators were closed in 2008. As a result, 18% more (than the number in 2007) healthcare units have externalised the management of hazardous medical waste – 15% through neutralisation and 3% through incineration. In Romania, only three incinerators comply with the standards required by EU directives.

OBJECTIVES

The project aims to demonstrate the feasibility of microwave technology for the treatment of medical waste. It will design and produce a prototype to treat medical waste so that it is non-infectious and safe to dispose of without special handling.

By applying this technology on a larger scale, it is expected to reach a treatment rate of 6 000 tonnes/year in Romania and 3 000 tonnes/year in Bulgaria. The technology and equipment will also be easily transferred to other Member States.

The project specifically aims to:

Demonstrate an innovative technology that could be considered as a Best Available Technique (BAT) for the updating of the BAT Reference Documents (BREF) in the medical waste treatment sector – i.e. the treatment of medical waste using microwave technology, an environmentally friendly alternative to the classical methods (incineration, autoclaving, etc);

Draw up technical documentation, based on the demonstration of the innovative technology and equipment developed during the project implementation, as basis for policies designed to ensure sustainable management and treatment of medical waste.

Expected results: The project will demonstrate the feasibility of microwave technology in the treatment of medical waste, and its status as a BAT, leading to the updating of the relevant BAT Reference Documents (BREF).

It will also consolidate the knowledge base for the implementation in Romania and Bulgaria of EU policy and legislation on medical waste, in particular the Waste Framework Directive and the Hazardous Waste Directive (legislation on PCBs and POPs).