The burning of medical waste from hospitals essential source 1 for dioxin, mercury and other pollutants that are easily avoided 2.It is well known for dioxin as carcinogenic in humans has been linked to birth defects effects and a decline in fertility and a weakened immune system and other hormonal imbalance. Themercury is the cause disorder in the growth of fetal brain and alsocause direct poisoning of the central nervous system, kidneysand liver.
There are more than 109 hospitals operating in Lebanon, aprivate hospital licensed by the Lebanese Ministry of Health.Seven of which are large in size and therefore the amount ofwaste it. This report aims to highlight the problem of dealing withmedical waste in Lebanon, and explained the risks of burningwaste and how that solution is not suitable. The report also presents alternative solutions in an environmentally sound andeconomically costly. And then present the study to develop awaste treatment in hospitals in Lebanon and emphasizes the need to move to address the problem from the source throughcleaner, more effective and economically appropriate.
The report comes at a crucial time as the Council for Development and Reconstruction has made a study of the Council of Ministers on the management of hospital waste after passing through the Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of Health to express an opinion. Unfortunately, although he did not announce to the public the outcome of these consultations, but it is known that the Council for Development and Reconstructionand the Ministry of Environment since August 1998 andencourage the establishment of a central incinerator for hospital waste to be financed by a loan from the World Bank.
The marketing of the burning of medical waste by the World Bankin the third world countries, while declining to use this technologyslowly in Western countries particularly the United States whereuse alternatives safer and economical, is a duplication of the values given population of the Nordic countries a higher level of health protection public and the environment in comparison with citizens of the Third World.
It is especially shameful to see the World Bank encourages the spread of the Holocaust with The United Nations Environment Programme auspices of the negotiations on an international agreement to stop the gradual production and use of persistentorganic lasting impact (Persistent Organic Pollutants - POPs).Among those priority substances to remember that this new agreement highlights the dioxins and furans - which together produce when burning medical waste.
That safer alternatives exist and the Holocaust is the best availableeconomically. The objective of this report provide information and references for alternatives to address the problem of burningmedical waste in Lebanon, which could be applied and adopted invarious hospitals in Lebanon.
التسميات
Hospital waste