Evaluation of healthcare waste treatment/disposal alternatives by using multi-criteria decision-making techniques. 2013

Aysun Özkan
Department of Environmental Engineering, Anadolu University, Faculty of Engineering, Eskisehir, Turkey. aysunozkan@anadolu.edu.tr

Healthcare waste should be managed carefully because of infected, pathological, etc. content especially in developing countries. Applied management systems must be the most appropriate solution from a technical, environmental, economic and social point of view. The main objective of this study was to analyse the current status of healthcare waste management in Turkey, and to investigate the most appropriate treatment/disposal option by using different decision-making techniques. For this purpose, five different healthcare waste treatment/disposal alternatives including incineration, microwaving, on-site sterilization, off-site sterilization and landfill were evaluated according to two multi-criteria decision-making techniques: analytic network process (ANP) and ELECTRE. In this context, benefits, costs and risks for the alternatives were taken into consideration. Furthermore, the prioritization and ranking of the alternatives were determined and compared for both methods. According to the comparisons, the off-site sterilization technique was found to be the most appropriate solution in both cases.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008872 Microwaves That portion of the electromagnetic spectrum from the UHF (ultrahigh frequency) radio waves and extending into the INFRARED RAYS frequencies. EHF Waves,Extremely High Frequency Radio Waves,Micro Wave,Micro Waves,Ultrahigh Frequency Waves,Microwave Radiation,EHF Wave,Micro Waves,Microwave,Microwave Radiations,Radiation, Microwave,Ultrahigh Frequency Wave,Wave, EHF,Wave, Micro,Wave, Ultrahigh Frequency,Waves, Micro
D003661 Decision Support Techniques Mathematical or statistical procedures used as aids in making a decision. They are frequently used in medical decision-making. Decision Analysis,Decision Modeling,Models, Decision Support,Analysis, Decision,Decision Aids,Decision Support Technics,Aid, Decision,Aids, Decision,Analyses, Decision,Decision Aid,Decision Analyses,Decision Support Model,Decision Support Models,Decision Support Technic,Decision Support Technique,Model, Decision Support,Modeling, Decision,Technic, Decision Support,Technics, Decision Support,Technique, Decision Support,Techniques, Decision Support
D013242 Sterilization The destroying of all forms of life, especially microorganisms, by heat, chemical, or other means.
D014421 Turkey Country in Southeastern Europe and Southwestern Asia bordering the Black Sea, between Bulgaria and Georgia, and bordering the Aegean Sea and the Mediterranean Sea, between Greece and Syria. The capital is Ankara. Turkiye
D017744 Medical Waste Disposal Management, removal, and elimination of biologic, infectious, pathologic, and dental waste. The concept includes blood, mucus, tissue removed at surgery or autopsy, soiled surgical dressings, and other materials requiring special control and handling. Disposal may take place where the waste is generated or elsewhere. Biological Waste Disposal,Waste Disposal, Medical,Biologic Waste Disposal,Disposal, Biological Waste,Disposal, Infectious Waste,Disposal, Medical Waste,Disposal, Pathological Waste,Infectious Waste Disposal,Pathological Waste Disposal,Specimen Disposal,Waste Disposal, Biological,Waste Disposal, Infectious,Waste Disposal, Pathological,Disposal, Biologic Waste,Disposal, Specimen,Waste Disposal, Biologic
D017745 Incineration High temperature destruction of waste by burning with subsequent reduction to ashes or conversion to an inert mass. Thermal Destruction,Destruction, Thermal,Destructions, Thermal,Incinerations,Thermal Destructions

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