Medical Waste in Disasters: Advocating for Change and Building Policy

Medical Waste in Disasters: Advocating for Change and Building Policy

When humanitarian organizations respond to disasters, such as the recent Typhoon Yagi in Vietnam, they must rapidly deploy staff and materials to the affected areas. In these events, medical products are particularly crucial, and given the urgency, the aftermath of these operations, including the disposal of used materials is often overlooked.

This is where WORM, the “Waste Management in Humanitarian Operations: Reduction and Minimisation” project funded by the European Commission, comes into focus. As waste management is an increasing concern for humanitarian organisations, WORM aims to enhance their understanding of innovative bio-based materials that could help reduce waste in humanitarian medical operations. For instance, bins for the disposal of syringes and other sharp items are usually made of single-use plastic, however more recently, bins have been made from renewable materials such as wood.

To encourage humanitarian organisations to adopt innovative solutions, WORM focuses on reforming procurement practices. By selecting products that generate less waste, some waste can be avoided. However, recognising that certain types of waste are inevitable, WORM also aims to transform waste management practices, promoting less harmful treatment methods.

A key focus of WORM is the management of waste in field hospitals established during natural disasters, wars, and other crises worldwide. These field hospitals generate substantial amounts of medical waste and are often situated in highly vulnerable environments where waste management is particularly challenging. The improper handling of waste can pose significant risks to the very people the field hospitals aim to assist.

Waste is not only an environmental issue. The innovative solutions advocated by WORM may have unintended socio-economic consequences. In many countries, waste picking and sorting provide livelihoods for some of the most vulnerable demographics. WORM considers how these environmental and socio-economic benefits can be balanced. 

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The WORM consortium brings together the expertise of an international group of academic institutions, humanitarian organisations, procurement specialists, and private-sector organisations. Since the project started in January, research has been conducted in Vietnam and Kenya.

In October, RMIT Vietnam will host the project’s second General Assembly at the RMIT Saigon South Campus. This event presents an exciting opportunity to disseminate early findings from the project in a waste management symposium with Vietnamese waste management service providers, regional humanitarian organisations, and private sector actors who are engaged in the circular economy.

At the symposium, a sustainable procurement framework will be presented. This framework outlines criteria for evaluating product groups used in humanitarian activities. Participants will also learn about humanitarian waste management business models. Key stakeholders in the waste management value chain have been identified, encompassing various sustainability practices such as recycling and material recovery.  

While sustainable procurement is well-known in many industries, WORM has developed a detailed sustainable procurement strategy specifically for humanitarian medical supply chains. This strategy not only addresses the day-to-day operations of humanitarian organisations, but also considers their broader strategy and the policy environment.

Exciting findings of the research conducted on waste management business models reveal that the humanitarian sector is increasingly integrating sustainability and circular economy practices like reusing or recycling materials. However, there is significant potential to develop new business models, particularly in reducing material use. A notable gap exists in handling medical waste, as much of the progress thus far has focused on household waste.

There is much for the WORM team to explore. Future research will, for example, examine the differences between the initial emergency deployment of humanitarian organisations to disaster areas and their longer-term operations. These scenarios present distinct opportunities and challenges for waste management. One key difference is that in long-term operations, waste pickers typically play a much bigger role. Over the next year, WORM investigate how changes in procurement will impact them. For instance, if humanitarian organisations transition to bio-based materials rather than plastics, what will that mean for the livelihoods and welfare of waste pickers?

WORM’s ultimate aim is to develop policies that enhance waste management in humanitarian operations. The project engages in advocacy and raises awareness of waste management innovations among stakeholders. The groundbreaking work being done by RMIT Vietnam and the other consortium partners is shaping the future of medical waste management in some of the most challenging and delicate environments around the globe. 

Authors:
Dr. Kok Seng Kiong, Dr. Duc Trinh Tran, Prof. Robert McClelland, Dr. Hung Nguyen, Nhan Nguyen, Dr. Trang Nguyen, Dr. Virva Tuomala (Hanken School of Economics), Prof. Gyöngyi Kovács (Hanken School of Economics), WORM Consortium

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10 October 2024

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10 October 2024

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