Characterization of hospital wastewater,risk waste generation and management practices in Lahore

Hospitals generate both,liquid and solid waste. high public health risks are involved in managing these wastes. objectives of this study were: (i) to determine the characteristics of hospital wastewater; (ii) analysis of current risk waste management practices and compliance level with hospital waste management rules-2005 (hwmr-2005); and (iii) analyse the risk waste generation rates. three main hospitals of lahore,i.e.,services hospital,general hospital and gulab devi chest hospital,were selected for this study. wastewater characteristics were determined by taking samples from each hospital. results were compared with national environmental quality standards (neqs). survey of hospitals was conducted,using a questionnaire,to determine the compliance status with hwmr-2005. risk waste generation data for the year 2012 was collected and analysed. wastewater analysis revealed that bod,cod and cadmium concentrations were more than the permissible limits prescribed in neqs. compliance with hwmr-2005 was found better. mean risk waste generation rates in services hospital,general hospital,and gulab devi chest hospital were 0.22,0.2 and 0.02 kg/bed/day. no significant variations were observed in risk waste generation rates on daily,weekly,monthly and seasonal basis. © pakistan academy of sciences.