Hospital waste management in Libya: A case study

In Libya, as in many developing countries, little information is available regarding generation, handling and disposal of hospital waste. This fact hinders the development and implementation of hospital waste management schemes. The specific objective of this study is to present an appraisal of the current situation regarding hospital waste management in Libya. Procedures, techniques, methods of handling, and disposal of waste are presented, as well as the amounts and compositions of hospital waste. This research was conducted in the form of a case study. Fourteen different healthcare facilities in three cities, Tripoli, Misurata, and Sirt, all located in the northwestern part of Libya, were selected for investigation. The investigation showed that the hospitals surveyed had neither guidelines for separated collection and classification, nor methods for storage and disposal of generated waste. This deficiency indicates the need for an adequate hospital waste management strategy to improve and control the existing situation. The average waste generation rate was found to be 1.3 kg/patient/day, comprised of 72% general healthcare waste (non-risk) and 28% hazardous waste. The average general waste composition was: 38% organic, 24% plastics, and 20% paper. Sharps and pathological elements comprised 26% of the hazardous waste component.