Analysis of healthcare waste generated by drugstores in Belo Horizonte, Brazil | Analysis of healthcare waste generated by drugstores in Belo Horizonte, Brazil | Análise dos resíduos de serviços de saúde gerados por drogarias em Belo Horizonte, Brasil

Inglés. Healthcare wastes (HCW) are generated in establishments involved in human and animal healthcare activities, including pharmacies and drugstores. These activities also generate HCW, although they have been little studied in the scientific context. The present study aims to quantify and characterize the HCW generated by drugstores in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. Information contained in the Healthcare Waste Management Plans (HCWMP) was used and statistical analyzes were conducted in order to obtain the average generation by waste groups and by regions of the city. From the available data, an average global daily generation of 1218 kg/day (8140 L/day) of HCW was obtained in Belo Horizonte city, with an estimated generation per establishment of 8.98±1.50 kg/day (60±10 L/day), ranging from 0,03 kg/day (0.21 L/day) to 39,64 kg/day (265 L/day). The study revealed that the majority of the waste is non-hazardous, accounting for 97% of the total generated (1185 kg/day; 7900 L/day), while hazardous waste constituted only 3%. Most of the hazardous waste was chemical in nature.

Español; castellano. Healthcare wastes (HCW) are generated in establishments involved in human and animal healthcare activities, including pharmacies and drugstores. These activities also generate HCW, although they have been little studied in the scientific context. The present study aims to quantify and characterize the HCW generated by drugstores in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. Information contained in the Healthcare Waste Management Plans (HCWMP) was used and statistical analyzes were conducted in order to obtain the average generation by waste groups and by regions of the city. From the available data, an average global daily generation of 1218 kg/day (8140 L/day) of HCW was obtained in Belo Horizonte city, with an estimated generation per establishment of 8.98±1.50 kg/day (60±10 L/day), ranging from 0,03 kg/day (0.21 L/day) to 39,64 kg/day (265 L/day). The study revealed that the majority of the waste is non-hazardous, accounting for 97% of the total generated (1185 kg/day; 7900 L/day), while hazardous waste constituted only 3%. Most of the hazardous waste was chemical in nature.

Portugués. Os resíduos de serviços de saúde (RSS) são gerados em estabelecimentos com atividades voltadas à saúde humana e animal, dentre esses estabelecimentos estão as farmácias e drogarias. Essas atividades também geram RSS, embora pouco estudadas no meio científico. O presente estudo tem como objetivo quantificar e caracterizar os RSS gerados por drogarias de Belo Horizonte, Brasil. Foram utilizadas informações contidas nos Planos de Gerenciamento de Resíduos de Serviços de Saúde (PGRSS) e realizadas análises estatísticas para obtenção da geração média por grupos de resíduos e por regiões da cidade. A partir dos dados disponíveis, obteve-se uma geração média global diária de 8140 L/dia de RSS na cidade de Belo Horizonte, com geração estimada por estabelecimento de 60±10 L/dia, variando de 0.21 L/dia a 265 L/dia. O estudo mostrou que a maior parte dos resíduos não perigosos (7900 L/dia), representando 97% do total gerado, e os resíduos perigosos representaram apenas 3.0% do total gerado, sendo a maior parte química.