Members of the Technical Working Group of the Provincial Integrated Environment Management Center (PIEMC) conducted a Benchmarking on Hospital Wastes Treatment in some hospitals in General Santos City and Davao City last November 5 – 6 to capacitate themselves about “best practices” on hospital waste management.
Led by newly-appointed Officer-in-Charge (OIC) of the Provincial Environment Management Office – Mines & Geo-Sciences Division (PEMO-MGD) Nencita Acain and also PEMO’s newly appointed Environment Management Division OIC Agnes Castanares, the TWG members first visited General Santos City Doctors Hospital (GSCDH) before proceeding to Davao City.
GSCDH showcased their best practices on solid waste management particularly on collection, segregation and disposal, vermi-composting and also treatment of their hospital wastes.
The said hospital, which was adjudged as the cleanest hospital In General Santos City for 2 consecutive years, have their own autoclave to treat their infectious and hazardous hospital wastes which is efficiently manage by their hospital staff.
In Davao City, the group visited San Pedro Hospital, Davao Medical School Foundation, Inc. and UM Multi-Test Diagnostics Center, which is laboratory facility.
The said hospitals and laboratory clinic have similar approaches in hospital wastes management, by tapping RAD Green Solutions, a privately-owned hospital wastes treatment company duly accredited by the Environment Management Bureau.
RAD Green Solutions staff toured the TWG members in their hospital wastes treatment facility located at Barangay Carmen, which is also the site of the Sanitary Landfill of Davao City.
The TWG members were briefed on the operations of their “pyro-clave” facility wherein an actual demonstration of hospital wastes treatment were also observed.
RAD’s 2-unit pyro-clave costs P 5-million each and could treat more or less 1,600 kilograms of hospital wastes during a 10-hour operation per day, which they charge hospitals from P25.00 to P35.00 per kilogram, depending on what type of hospital wastes.
PEMO plans to start its own hospital wastes treatment facility next year with the establishment of PIEMC in a newly-purchased 5-hecatre lot located in Tinongkop, Tantangan.
The TWG members were composed of PEMO, PEO and IPHO.