Quantitative and qualitative assessment of waste produced in sari hospitals

Aims: The Iranian city of Sari with a green nature has great environmental importance, especially in ecotourism. Thus, the proper management of medical wastes is necessary to maintain a sustainable environment. This study is aimed to determine the quantitative and qualitative wastes in the hospitals of Sari. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study using a descriptive-analytical approach to analyze the infectious and noninfectious wastes of four hospitals in Sari. The data collection instrument was a checklist that was completed on visits to hospitals and observation of cases. Data analysis was performed using Excel and R software programs. Results: The average quantity of the total waste produced in hospitals was 218, 482, 19.5, and 17 kg/day for infectious, household, sharp-cutter, and pharmaceutical wastes, respectively. The rate of hospital waste production for various types of infectious, household, sharp-cutter, and pharmaceutical wastes equaled 1.15, 2.13, 0.09, and 0.28 kg/bed, respectively. Conclusion: Due to the high percentage of infectious wastes, despite considerable efforts to separate wastes, there are still problems in the hospitals that require more attention from the authorities, as well as the incorporation of new methods to render waste safe before it leaves the hospital.