1st Davao bio-medical waste facility launched

THE first bio-medical waste facility in Davao City is ready to operate starting next week after it was formally opened Thursday in its location near the sanitary landfill in New Carmen, Tugbok District.

Ricky S. Dayot, vice president for engineering, research and development of RAD Green Solutions, said they will start collecting medical wastes -- infectious, pathological wastes and sharps -- from hospitals in the city to address the need especially for those who do not have their own medical waste treatment facility.

The RAD Green Solutions has put on two pyroclave facilities, with each one having the capacity to process 1.5 tons of medical wastes per day.

Dayot said pyrolisis is a non-burn technology that would process medical wastes such as body parts and turn the materials to charcoal.

"Body parts will decompose in the absence of oxygen," he said, adding that 20 percent of medical wastes are body parts.

On the other hand, Dayot said that if fluids are expose to high heat, 200 percent fluids will be vaporized leaving the plastics.

Dayot also said sharps, which include needles, syringes, scalpels, saws, blades and infusion sets, will be sterilized and shredded.

Dayot said medical wastes will be collected everyday using refrigerated vans and charging P20 per kilo. Containers, on the other hand, will be free of charge.

"Main process is to minimize spread of disease," he said.

Based on the procedural manual of the Health department, a total of eight operators of the facility are required to wear cover-all safety uniform, polyethylene gloves, protective visors, safety helmets and respirators every time they process.

Meanwhile, collectors will put on gloves and protective visors.

Erriberto P. Barriga Jr., executive vice president of Information and Communication Technology-Davao and consultant of RAD, said the end product of the processed wastes goes back to the landfill.

"The good thing about this facility is (it is housed) right along the landfill," Barriga said.

Through this, he said hospitals will be saving a lot more than the usual process.

Dolly Remojo, of City Environment and Natural Resources, said the pyroclave facility contributes a lot in helping the city address its dilemma in disposal of medical waste.

She said the landfill is designed only for residual wastes.

Davao City produces 2.5 tons of medical wastes daily.