Assessment of Medical Waste Management Practices

• Musbah. E. Almbsuot

  Department of Medical Laboratories, Faculty of Medical Technology, Azzaytuna University, Tarhuna, Libya

  Author

• Asraa. H. Ramadan

  Department of Medical Laboratories, Faculty of Medical Technology, Azzaytuna University, Tarhuna, Libya

  Author

• Eman. S. Ali

  Department of Medical Laboratories, Faculty of Medical Technology, Azzaytuna University, Tarhuna, Libya

  Author

• Hibah. A. Husayn

  Department of Medical Laboratories, Faculty of Medical Technology, Azzaytuna University, Tarhuna, Libya

  Author

• Mawada. A. Farag

  Department of Medical Laboratories, Faculty of Medical Technology, Azzaytuna University, Tarhuna, Libya

  Author

• Marwah. A. Gummah

  Department of Medical Laboratories, Faculty of Medical Technology, Azzaytuna University, Tarhuna, Libya

  Author

• Reem. A. Mohamed

  Department of Medical Laboratories, Faculty of Medical Technology, Azzaytuna University, Tarhuna, Libya

  Author

Background: Medical waste management is a critical global concern due to its potential environmental and public health risks. In Tarhuna City, Libya, the lack of comprehensive studies on medical waste management has led to inadequate practices and limited awareness.  Aim of study: This study evaluates the current state of medical waste management in 23 public and private healthcare institutions in Tarhuna, focusing on waste generation, segregation, treatment, and disposal practices. Methodology: A mixed-methods approach, including questionnaires, interviews, and observations, was employed to gather data from 109 healthcare workers. Results: Findings reveal significant gaps in training, waste segregation, and adherence to safety protocols, with improper disposal methods posing risks to both workers and the community.  The study highlights the urgent need for improved infrastructure, training programs, and regulatory enforcement. Recommendations include raising awareness, adopting modern waste treatment technologies, and establishing a dedicated medical waste landfill.  Conclusions: This research contributes to the limited literature on medical waste management in Libya and provides actionable insights for policymakers and healthcare administrators.

Ahmed SE, Ahmed QK, Ahmed S. Medical waste management: A review. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int. 2018;25(19):18487–18511. doi:10.1007/s11356-018-2433-z

Cai Q, Wang F, Li X. Current status and future perspectives of medical waste incineration: A review. Waste Manag. 2018;77:210–221. doi:10.1016/j.wasman.2018.01.017

Chen Y, Wang F, Li X. Autoclaving of medical waste: A review. Waste Manag. 2020;104:56–67. doi:10.1016/j.wasman.2019.11.030

Elhadi NM, Abusitta AA. Assessment of medical waste management in Libyan hospitals: A case study of Tripoli Central Hospital. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022;19(11):6175. doi:10.3390/ijerph19116175

Gupta S, Garg P. Assessment of biomedical waste management in hospitals of Delhi, India: A cross-sectional study. Environ Sci Pollut Res. 2019;26(19):19600–19611. doi:10.1007/s11356-019-05672-z

Li X, Wang F, Chen Y. Chemical disinfection of medical waste: A review. Sci Total Environ. 2019;651:3007–3020. doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.10.400

Naja GB, Chalak L. Medical waste management in Lebanese hospitals: Assessment of current practices and proposed improvements. Waste Manag. 2015;42:276–284. doi:10.1016/j.wasman.2015.01.014

Nnorom IC, Ohakwe J. Assessment of medical waste management practices in Nigerian hospitals. BMC Res Notes. 2011;4(1):1–7. doi:10.1186/1756-0500-4-1

Pradhan B, Swain SK, Mahanta C. Medical waste management: A global issue. J Family Med Prim Care. 2017;6(2):319–324. doi:10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_295_16

Wang F, Li X, Chen Y. Integrated waste management: A promising strategy for sustainable medical waste management. J Environ Manag. 2019;231:1175–1185. doi:10.1016/j.jenvman.2018.11.062

Wang F, Li X, Chen Y. Medical waste management in hospitals: Current status and future perspectives. J Environ Manag. 2017;193:127-142. doi:10.1016/j.jenvman.2017.03.019

World Health Organization. Healthcare waste management: A resource guide for low-resource countries [Internet]. Geneva: WHO; 2020. WHO Publication

World Health Organization. Safe management of waste from healthcare activities [Internet]. Geneva: WHO; 2014. WHO Publication

World Health Organization. Safe management of wastes from health-care activities [Internet]. Geneva: WHO; 2019. WHO Publication

Yu H, Wang F, Li X. Source reduction in medical waste management: A review. J Clean Prod. 2021;306:126505. doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.126505

• pdf

Copyright (c) 2025 Musbah. E. Almbsuot, Asraa. H. Ramadan, Eman. S. Ali, Hibah. A. Husayn, Mawada. A. Farag, Marwah. A. Gummah, Reem. A. Mohamed (Author)

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.