• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• 제11권E호
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• pp.13-21
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• 1995

This Pilot study identifies potential dioxin and furan sources and medical plastic wastes produced from hospital solid waste streams. In this study, air emissions of dioxins and furans from sources in the U.S., which were estimated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), were summarized. Potential loading routes of dioxins and furans to the U.S.-Canada Great Lakes region have also been identified in trcent surveys. In addition, medical and hospital solid wastes produced in typical large city hospitals were characterized as important potential sources of dioxins and furans. Plastic contents in medical Plastics Characterization Survey (MMPCS), plastics composition data were obtained from a survey of five Massachusetts Hospitals and Medical Centers. By identifying plastic wastes as a percentage of total hospital wastes, we were able to use data from a preliminary study that analyzed the waste stream of 16 major New York City hospitals (NYCMWS) characterizing the plastic content of the wasters. This study determined the types of plastic wastes included in each medical waste stream (regulated medical waste or non regulated medical waste) and it discussed the potential for recyclibility of hospital plastic wastes. The combination of the NYCMWS and the MMPCS surveys provides for the first overview of the size of the recycling task of hospital plastic wastes and the potential of dioxin elimination if dioxin generating plastics were to be eliminated from hospital use.

• 대한안전경영과학회지
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• 제10권3호
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• pp.55-62
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• 2008

This is to prevent accidents that can be caused during the process of hospital logistics and accidents in relation to the traceability of medical wastes. And this is also to set up the logistic management system of medical wastes is hospital where the safety of patients shall to regard as the first priority. through these case studies effective operating plans shall be provided.

• 한국환경보건학회지
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• 제43권6호
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• pp.532-544
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• 2017

Objectives: Because the amount of medical waste (i.e., health-care waste) generated in Korea is rapidly increasing and social concern against its safety is widespread, a number of issues related with medical wastes are being discussed. The purpose of this study is to compare diverse medical waste management systems worldwide and propose future directions of a medical waste management system in Korea. Methods: Literature review was conducted mainly on the WHO, and developed countries such as the European Union (Germany, Belgium and UK), Japan and the United States. For these countries, the data with respect to their systems for medical waste management ranging from the definition of medical waste to the whole processes of collection, transportation and disposal were summarized and compared. Results: The terminology and classification of medical wastes were not consistent for WHO recommendation, EU, Japan, US and Korea. Comparison of the collection, storage, transportation and disposal of medical waste showed that Korea had rather stronger regulations for medical waste management compared to developed countries including Belgium (Flanders region), Germany, Japan and the US. Considering that developed countries adopt rather flexible disposal system especially for general medical wastes which pose lower possibility of infection, Korean government could consider diversifying disposal methods other than incineration. It may also be very important to try to reduce the amount of medical wastes and enough capacity for off-site incineration are secured. Conclusion: Our study of international comparisons suggests that it is necessary to continue to identify advantages and disadvantages of the current medical waste management systems and establish more effective one in Korea.

• 한국환경보건학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국환경보건학회 2001년도 춘계 학술대회
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• pp.19-25
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• 2001

Recently in Korea, treatment and disposal of organic wastes have being the mostimportant is sue due to governmental strong regulation of landfill banning Especially the sewage sludge and food wastes will be restricted from the direct landfilling, after the year 2003 and 2005 respectively. Thus the considerable change in treatment methods of organic wastes is founded to transfer toward recycling the organic wastes, In these trends. vermicomposting is being enlightened newly in Korea. In November of 1999. the first symposium focusing the organic waste treatment using the earthworm was held with attending many peoples including earthworm company, experts. and professors. In that symposium, it was reported that the vermicomposting plants treating organic wastes had increased to about 80 plants and had treated about 110,000 tons per year in Korea Many local governments and companies showed the interest in vermicomposting of organic wastes and needed the collaboration with each other and foreign countries. In for reclamation materials, the extraction of some medical drugs from earthworm was expanding the research and development fields, In this paper, the history of vermicomposting in Korea was reviewed and the present stanls and future aspect were showed.

• Environmental Engineering Research
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• 제24권2호
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• pp.211-219
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• 2019

Since improper management practices of solid medical waste (SMW) could potentially result in serious health risks and environmental problems, it is very important to properly treat and dispose of the medical wastes. In this study, current practices of SMW management from storage to final disposal stage in 12 health care facilities (HCFs) of Burundi were investigated using the official government reports. The results showed that 75% and 92% of HCFs used uncovered wheelbarrows and trucks for on-site or off-site SMW transportation, respectively, indicating that most transportation equipment and waste workers are not safely protected. The results also showed that 92.8% of SMW (15,736.4 ton) from all 12 HCFs were inappropriately disposed of through uncontrolled land disposal and incineration. If pharmaceutical wastes and discarded medical plastics (29.5% of SMW) can be separated and treated properly, the treatment costs can be reduced and resource savings can be achieved. Raising awareness of healthcare workers and general public about potential health effects arising from improper SMW management, sufficient financial and human resources for the treatment facilities (especially incinerators), and effective regulations and guidelines for transportation and treatment of SWM are some of the major tasks for safe and sustainable medical waste management in Burundi.

• 대한방사선기술학회지:방사선기술과학
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• 제44권5호
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• pp.481-487
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• 2021

This study was conducted for the purpose of efficient radioactive waste disposal and management. Experiment was evaluated the decontamination efficiencies of the four types decontamination materials(Water, Alcohol, Decontamination Water, Decontamination Gel) with radioactive wastes generated during radio-pharmaceutical production process at Korea Institute Radiological and Medical Sciences(KIRAMS). The radioactive waste sample used in experiment is a lead plate of the fume hood that was disposed in April, 2019. In the experimental method, radioactive waste was measured before and after decontamination using a HPGe semiconductor detector and Gamma survey meter. The measured values before and after decontamination were evaluated for decontamination efficiency as a percentage. As a result, it was confirmed that a lot of specific activity and surface dose rate was removed from the radioactive wastes. In particular, when decontamination water was used, most of the radioactivity of radioactive wastes was removed. Considering these results, if decontamination water is used in decontamination of radioactive waste, decontamination efficiency equivalent to the disposition criteria can be expected with just one decontamination treatment. In addition, in the case of water and alcohol, only on decontamination was effective in approximately 75% and 95%. Otherwise, when decontamination gel was used, it was confirmed that the largest deviation occurred among all experimental results.

• 핵의학기술
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• 제17권1호
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• pp.3-6
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• 2013

Purpose: The treatment of thyroid cancer patients was continuously increased. According to the increment of thyroid cancer patients, the establishment of iodine therapy site was also increased in each hospital. This treatment involves the administration of radioactive iodine, which will be given in the form of a capsule. Therefore, protections and managements for radioactive source pollution and radiation exposure should be necessary for radiation safety. Among the many problems, the problem of disposing the radioactive wastes was occurred. In this study, The date for self-disposal for radioactive wastes, which were contaminated in clothes, bedclothes and trash, were calculated. Materials and Methods: The number of iodine therapy ward was 15 in Korea Institute of Radiological Medical and Sciences. Recently, 8 therapy wards were operated for iodine therapy patients and others were on standby for emergency treatment ward of any radiation accidents. Radioactive wastes, which were occurred in therapy ward, were clothes, bedclothes, bath cover for patients washing water and food and drink which was leftover by patients. Each sample was hold into the marinelli beaker (clothes, bedclothes, bath covers) and 90 ml beaker (food, drink, and washing water). The activities of collected samples were measured by HpGe MCA device (Multi Channel Analysis, CANBERRA, USA) Results: The storage period for the each kind of radioactive wastes was calculated by equation of storage periods based on the measurement outcomes. The average storage period was 60 days for the case of clothes, and the maximum storage period was 93 days for patient bottoms. The average storage period and the maximum storage period for the trash were 69 days and 97 days, respectively. The leftover foods and drinks had short storage period (the average storage period was 25 days and maximum storage period was 39 days), compared with other wastes. Conclusion: The proper storage period for disposing the radioactive waste (clothes, bedclothes and bath cover) was 100 days by the regulation on self-disposal of radioactive waste. In addition, the storage period for disposing the liquid radioactive waste was 120 days. The current regulation for radioactive waste self-disposing was not suitable for the circumstances of each radioactive therapy facility. Therefore, it was necessary to reduce the leftover food and drinks by adequate table setting for patients, and improve the process and regulation for disposing the short-half life radioactive wastes.

• 적정기술학회지
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• 제6권1호
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• pp.37-44
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• 2020

의료폐기물은 감염성물질을 함유하고 있는 모든 종류의 폐기물을 가리키며 전염을 예방하기 위해 운송에 신중을 기해야 한다. 처리 수단으로의 소각은 부피 감소, 악취 제거, 위해성 측면에서 매립이나 투기보다 장점을 갖고 있다. 야외 소각이나 바람직하지 않은 환경에서의 소각은 환경오염 물질의 대기 중 배출을, 생물학적 폐기물의 매립은 토양과 수질오염을 야기시킨다. 피지의 대부분의 2차 병원은 의료 폐기물을 세 군데에 있는 3차 병원으로 차량 또는 배로 이송하여 소각 처리한다. 어떤 의료폐기물은 일반폐기물로 간주되어 현장에서 야외 소각되거나 출산 시 발생한 생물학적 의료폐기물은 매립되기도 하였다. 이런 측면에서 의료폐기물 처리 관련 인력들에 대한 인식 증진을 위한 교육이 시급하다. 피지에서의 의료폐기물 처리는 단일 도로를 따르는 차량운송, 배를 이용한 도서간 운송보다 소형 소각로를 이용한 현장소각이 권장되며, 가이드라인 제정, 관련 인력 훈련, 정부의 법률적 제정 등 의료 폐기물 처리를 위한 기반 조성이 필요하다.

• 한국임상보건과학회지
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• 제1권2호
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• pp.39-47
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• 2013

Purpose. To examine the orientation of the eco-friendly Health care service on korean Hospital nurses Methods. Between October 2012 and November 2012, two hundred eighty five nurses (mean age, $25{\pm}17$ years; age range, 22~42yrears) were enrolled in this study. They performed a questionnaire which related to environmental problem, hospital infectious wastes manage and eco-friendly care service orientation. Results. Within the results, There were statistically significant correlation between "Hospital infectious wastes management" and "environmental problem awareness"(r=0.45, p<.001), "eco-friendly care service orientation"and "environmental problem awareness" (r=0.48, p<.001), and "eco-friendly Health care service orientaton" and "Hospital infectious wastes management"(r=0.50, p<.001). Conclusions. In current study, these results express that it is necessary to promote environmental problem awareness and hospital infectious wastes management practice for the "orientation of the eco-friendly Health care service on korean hospital nuurses.

• 핵의학기술
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• 제12권1호
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• pp.119-122
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• 2008

Radioiodine (I-131) Therapy has been known one of the methods treated with hyperthyroidism and thyroid tumor, using a separate ward. This technique has been already used for several decades, and its clinical efficacy proven. Today, Radioiodine takes a form of capsule through continuous development, so, 30 odd domestic hospitals run about 63 separate wards. And, its demands would increase continuously; because of tending upwards the patients had thyroid cancer. However, various kinds of wastes originate from a procedure of radioiodine therapy. Especially, when their radioactivity exceed permissible level (4 Bq/$cm^2$) set by Nuclear laws of the Republic of Korea, it regards as radioactive wastes, then, managed separately from origination to the last disposal.