Author(s)

ADA CASTELLUCCI, ENKHDUL TUUGUU, JARGALAN GERELSAIKHAN, LUCA ADAMI, MARCO RAGAZZI

Abstract

The effective management of bio-hazardous solid healthcare waste, ensuring the protection of human health, environmental integrity and economic feasibility, remains a pressing issue of considerable relevance worldwide. In Mongolia, the treatment technologies and disposal practices of bio-hazardous waste have never previously been subjected to an impact assessment published in academic literature. The analysis of the emissions, costs and social impacts of this sector becomes crucial when considering the capital city of Ulaanbaatar, where air pollution, elevated population density and urban growth are central aspects. This paper aims to answer the following two questions: How can the impacts of the healthcare waste sector be assessed and quantified? And why is it important to do so? The paper reviews similar case studies to explore the methodologies that can be implemented to estimate the environmental, economic and social impacts of bio-hazardous healthcare waste management systems. The study then presents the methodologies applied to the Ulaanbaatar case study to conduct a life cycle sustainability assessment, evaluating the impacts of on-site treatment technologies for bio-hazardous healthcare waste installed in several hospitals in the capital city through an international cooperation project. The benefits and limitations of applying these methodologies to the case study are discussed. The paper remarks on the importance of conducting impact analyses for sustainable development. These analyses will provide decision-makers with quantitative and qualitative indicators from many stakeholders and experts, helping them to make efficient investments. Comments on the importance of integrating life cycle approaches with local environmental impact studies complete the work.

Keywords

bio-hazardous waste, hospital waste, impact assessment, LCA, LCC, LCSA, medical waste, Mongolia, SLCA, sustainability