醫療院所含銀廢棄物：產生量與回收清理方式之調查研究

Generation and Recycling Study of the Silver-Bearing Wastes from Medical Hospitals in Taiwan

陳文欽(Wen-Chin Chen) ； 吳南明(Nan-Min Wu)

《健康管理學刊》 9卷2期 (2011/12) Pp. 198-208

https://doi.org/10.29805/JHM.201112.0005

摘要

The silver-bearing materials are widely used in medical hospitals. As discarded, if not properly handled, it may pose a severe threat to the environment and human health. The major threat to the environment is the bio-concentration effect, which leads to interfere with the metabolism of the upper food chain of animals. Currently there is a lack of the total amount of silver-bearing materials in medical hospitals, so as its waste collection and recycling program. This study completed a total amount of 334 medical hospitals (＞50 beds) with on-site investigation. The investigation results indicate that the silver-bearing material, including X-ray film, film fixer, and film reagent, mainly generated from the radiological services. According to the estimation of this study, the monthly amount used per bed is 16.68 plates for X-ray film (14×17 inches), 1.60 liters for film fixer, and 1.45 liters for film reagent. In addition, the monthly amount for waste X-ray film is 2.77 plates, 1.83 liters for waste film fixer, and 1.81 liters for waste film reagent. The generation ratio for waste film fixer is 1.14, indicates that the flow of waste film fixer is still unclear. This study also shows that about 85% medical hospitals have installed the silver recovery equipment. However, most of the waste film fixer collected after the silver recovery equipment has a silver ion concentration higher than the regulatory standard (＞ 5 ppm). These results indicate that the silver recovery equipment may be operated in a low efficiency, and the waste film fixer can be still discharged into the wastewater treatment plant or sewer system of the medical hospitals. The effluent even after treatment may still contain high concentrations of COD and ammonia nitrogen that are highly impact on the treatment processes and receiving water environment as well. Although the medical hospitals have set the human health care the primary goal, this study suggested that they should pay great attention to the environmental bylaws. Additionally, a proper recycling scheme for silver-bearing wastes generated from the medical hospitals should be programed so as to secure social responsibility and better environmental quality in Taiwan.

關鍵字

醫療院所 ； 含銀廢棄物 ； 定影液 ； 產生量 ； 回收清理

並列摘要

The silver-bearing materials are widely used in medical hospitals. As discarded, if not properly handled, it may pose a severe threat to the environment and human health. The major threat to the environment is the bio-concentration effect, which leads to interfere with the metabolism of the upper food chain of animals. Currently there is a lack of the total amount of silver-bearing materials in medical hospitals, so as its waste collection and recycling program. This study completed a total amount of 334 medical hospitals (＞50 beds) with on-site investigation. The investigation results indicate that the silver-bearing material, including X-ray film, film fixer, and film reagent, mainly generated from the radiological services. According to the estimation of this study, the monthly amount used per bed is 16.68 plates for X-ray film (14×17 inches), 1.60 liters for film fixer, and 1.45 liters for film reagent. In addition, the monthly amount for waste X-ray film is 2.77 plates, 1.83 liters for waste film fixer, and 1.81 liters for waste film reagent. The generation ratio for waste film fixer is 1.14, indicates that the flow of waste film fixer is still unclear. This study also shows that about 85% medical hospitals have installed the silver recovery equipment. However, most of the waste film fixer collected after the silver recovery equipment has a silver ion concentration higher than the regulatory standard (＞ 5 ppm). These results indicate that the silver recovery equipment may be operated in a low efficiency, and the waste film fixer can be still discharged into the wastewater treatment plant or sewer system of the medical hospitals. The effluent even after treatment may still contain high concentrations of COD and ammonia nitrogen that are highly impact on the treatment processes and receiving water environment as well. Although the medical hospitals have set the human health care the primary goal, this study suggested that they should pay great attention to the environmental bylaws. Additionally, a proper recycling scheme for silver-bearing wastes generated from the medical hospitals should be programed so as to secure social responsibility and better environmental quality in Taiwan.

並列關鍵字

Medical Hospitals ； Silver-Bearing Wastes ； Film Fixer ； Generation ； Recycling