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Sunday, February 16, 2025 Vol. 20 No. 127
P25.00 nationwide | 2 sections 12 pages | 7 DAYS A WEEK
PHL HEALTHCARE WASTE GENERATION ON THE RISE n
UN agency cites ‘alarming’ 20% increase in waste generation in the last 5 years
SICK OF WASTE Piles of hospital waste highlight the growing challenge of healthcare waste
management in the Philippines. With hazardous waste increasing by 20.19% in the last five years, stakeholders are pushing for better storage, treatment, and disposal solutions under the Philippine Healthcare and Mercury Wastes Management Project (HCW Project). BAN TOXICS
Recent analyses have revealed alarming trends in healthcare waste (HCW) generation, with hazardous healthcare waste increasing by 20.19 percent in the last five years, with a generation rate ranging between 1.13 and 1.31 kg per bed per day, according to Teddy Monroy, UNIDO Country Representative in the Philippines. Even in a post-Covid-19 context, the importance of improving healthcare waste management cannot be overstated, he said. Data from 2023 collected from partner hospitals further underscores the scale of this issue. The Eastern Visayas Medical Center (EVMC) reported 217.775 tons of pathologic or infectious waste and 191.345 tons of general waste. At the Quirino Memorial Medical Center (QMMC), hazardous waste totaled 496,505 kg, while general waste amounted to 324,994.79 kg.
The Cagayan Valley Medical Center (CVMC) reported 292,807 kg of general waste, along with hazardous materials, including 26,118 kg of sharps waste, 54 kg of pharmaceutical waste, and 2,603 kg of pathological waste.
Hospitals cite litany of woes
MONROY made the alarming revelation as 100 key stakeholders held a national workshop on January 31, 2025, to kick off the five-year Philippine Healthcare and Mercury Wastes Management Project (HCW Project). During the workshop, partner hospitals shared concerns about inadequate waste storage and treatment facilities, compounded by delays in waste collection due to the limited capacity of local government units for general waste and treatment, storage and disposal (TSD) facilities for hazardous waste. Additionally, gaps
DID YOU KNOW? 1.13 – 1.31 KG OF WASTE GENERATED PER HOSPITAL BED PER DAY MERCURY-CONTAINING MEDICAL DEVICES HAVE BEEN BANNED SINCE 2022, BUT STOCKPILES REMAIN.
2023 HOSPITAL DATA
2019
2024
20.19% INCREASE IN HAZARDOUS HEALTHCARE WASTE OVER THE PAST 5 YEARS
EVMC: 217.775 TONS OF INFECTIOUS WASTE, 191.345 TONS OF GENERAL WASTE
OPEN BURNING & LOWTEMPERATURE INCINERATION RELEASE TOXIC POLLUTANTS LIKE DIOXINS & FURANS.
QMMC: 496,505 KG HAZARDOUS WASTE, 324,994.79 KG GENERAL WASTE CVMC: 292,807 KG GENERAL WASTE, PLUS HAZARDOUS WASTE: •26,118 KG SHARPS WASTE •54 KG PHARMACEUTICAL WASTE •2,603 KG PATHOLOGICAL WASTE
Sources: UNIDO, WHO, BAN Toxics, DENR-EMB
in awareness about proper waste segregation among hospital clients emerged as a critical issue during the project’s inception phase. The workshop brought together representatives from partner hospitals such as Quirino Memorial Medical Center (QMMC) in NCR, Cagayan Valley Medical Center (CVMC) in Region 2, and Eastern Visayas Medical Center in Region 8, treatment, storage and disposal (TSD) facilities MetroClark, Cleanway, and Envirocare, local government units, and representatives from national agencies, such as the Department of Health, and the De-
BM Graphics: Ed Davad
“By working together, we will not only address hazardous waste challenges but also lay the foundation for a cleaner, safer future.”— Jacqueline A. Caancan, OICAssistant Secretary for Environment, DENR BAN TOXICS
WHO REPORTS 15% OF HEALTHCARE WASTE IS HAZARDOUS (INFECTIOUS, TOXIC, OR RADIOACTIVE).
Sources: UNIDO, WHO, BAN Toxics, DENR-EMB
velopment Bank of the Philippines. The workshop marked the end of its inception phase and the execution of its comprehensive plan. Officially launched in December 2023, the HCP Project is a partnership between the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the Philippine government, led by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Environmental Management Bureau (DENR-EMB). With funding from the Global Environment Facility (GEF), this initiative supports the shared commitment of developing countries to
address the world’s most pressing environmental issues. Executed by BAN Toxics, the project focuses on reducing the release and emissions of toxic substances from healthcare waste, aligning with global efforts to protect public health and the environment while fostering responsible and sustainable practices in the Philippines. “This workshop represents more than just a gathering of experts. It is a call to action. The responsibility we shoulder is immense, and it is our collective commitment, cooperation, and Continued on A2
PESO EXCHANGE RATES n US 58.2150 n JAPAN 0.3810 n UK 73.1646 n HK 7.4747 n CHINA 7.9857 n SINGAPORE 43.3502 n AUSTRALIA 36.7628 n EU 60.9220 n KOREA 0.0405 n SAUDI ARABIA 15.5219 Source: BSP (February 14, 2025)
BM Graphics: Ed Davad
EALTHCARE waste generation in the Philippines is on the rise, the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) has reported.
RISING HEALTHCARE WASTE IN THE PHILIPPINES
Steve Allen via Dreamstime
H
By Jonathan L. Mayuga