Better alternatives to hospital waste incinerators

Thermal and chemical technologies are cheaper and more effective alternatives to incineration of hospital wastes which is found to emit dangerous pollutants in the environment, a US-based Filipino chemist said.

Dr. Jorge Emmanuel, who specializes in the management of hazardous and biohazardous waste, said he personally recommends thermal technology in the form of "autoclaving," because it is cheaper than high-tech incinerators and uses steam to destroy pathogens.

He also suggested a chemical process called "Ecocycle10" which uses parasitic acid which produces water or vinegar as byproducts under conventional processes.

The environmental group Greenpeace recently revealed the results of its latest studies showing that toxic heavy metals were found in the bottom ash of the waste incinerator of a Metro Manila hospital.

Greenpeace tested the ash and found high levels of chromium and lead, with the latter measuring as high as 35 times above background concentrators. Lead affects the nervous, reproductive and immune systems as well as behavior of humans.

Greenpeace earlier deplored the continuing operations of least 24 waste incinerators in both private and government hospitals nationwide.

These incinerators, according to the group, are sources of cancer-causing chemicals like dioxin and furan, which are both being targeted for elimination by parties to the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants.

"It is scandalous and ironic that hospitals entrusted to heal the sick and maintain wellness, have themselves become threats to public health because of their continuing reliance on the deadly practice of incinerating their waste," said Francis de la Cruz of Greenpeace.

Emmanuel said there is no reason for hospitals to keep on using incinerators "because better technologies have been proven to be safer, cheaper and more effective in hospital waste disposal."

Health Secretary Manuel Dayrit said until such alternatives have been put in place, incinerators will continue to be used, adding that hospital wastes not disposed of properly poses more health risks.

Under the Clean Air Act of 1999, hospitals are given three years to phase out incinerators and replace them with safer alternatives. This grace period will expire in June next year. – Ella Oducayen