Journal of Environmental Health Sciences (한국환경보건학회지)

Korean Society of Environmental Health (한국환경보건학회)
권호 표지
DOI QR코드

DOI QR Code

Identifying Medical Waste Management Status by Different Types of Dental Institutions

치과의료기관별 의료폐기물 관리 현황 파악

  • Seong, Mi-Ae (Department of Dental Hygienics, Kyungpook National University) ;
  • Park, Ji-Hye (Department of Preventive Medicine & Public Health, College of Medicine, Yeungnam University) ;
  • Sakong, Joon (Department of Preventive Medicine & Public Health, College of Medicine, Yeungnam University)
  • 성미애 (경북대학교 치위생학과) ;
  • 박지혜 (영남대학교 의과대학 예방의학교실) ;
  • 사공준 (영남대학교 의과대학 예방의학교실)
  • Received : 2018.07.19
  • Accepted : 2018.10.05
  • Published : 2018.10.28
Download PDF
⟨ Previous Next ⟩

Abstract

Objectives: We aimed to examine whether dental waste was being managed adequately at different types of dental institutions in City D in South Korea. Methods: The staff responsible for disinfection at 101 dental offices and clinics (six dentistry departments of general hospitals, 12 dental hospitals, and 83 dental clinics) was interviewed. Results: Solid suction pump waste was handled appropriately at four of the general hospital dentistry departments (66.7%), six dental hospitals (50.0%), and 15 dental clinics (18.1%). Solid spittoon waste was handled appropriately at four general hospital dentistry departments (66.7%), seven dental hospitals (58.3%), and 14 dental clinics (16.9%). Developer and fixer were handled appropriately by a subcontractor at two general hospital dentistry departments (100.0%), five dental hospitals (100.0%), and 24 dental clinics (75.0%). Impression materials were handled appropriately at four general hospital dentistry departments (66.7%), six dental hospitals (50.0%), and 11 dental clinics (13.3%). The plastic covers of intra-oral radiography films were handled appropriately at five general hospital dentistry departments (100.0%), eight dental hospitals (72.7%), and 22 dental clinics (30.1%). Conclusion: South Korea must implement detailed and specialized guidelines for the disposal of solid and general medical waste from dental institutions. Moreover, waste disposal training should be provided annually, and not only once every three years.

Keywords

References

  1. Environmental Protection Agency (US). Standards for the tracking and management of medical waste; Interim final rule and request for comments. Fed Regist. 1989; 54(56): 12326-12395.
  2. Lee BK, Ellenbecker MJ, Moure-Ersaso R. Alternatives for treatment and disposal cost reduction of regulated medical waste. Waste Manag. 2004; 24(2): 143-151. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2003.10.008
  3. Health insurance review & assessment service. Statistical index of medical fee for the first quarter of 2017. Available: https://www.hira.or.kr/bbsDummy.do?pgmid=HIRAA020045030000&brdScnBltNo=4&brdBltNo=2382&pageIndex=1#none [accessed 23 March 2018].
  4. Ministry of Environment. 2015 listed waste generation and disposal status. Available: http://www.me.go.kr/home/web/index.do?menuId=128 [accessed 23 March 2018].
  5. Legal Information Institute. Standards of performance for new stationary sources and emission guidelines. Available: https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/40/part-60 [accessed 23 March 2018].
  6. Korea Environment Institute. Management status and prospect of Korea infectious waste. Available: http://kfem.or.kr/?p=20870 [accessed 23 March 2018].
  7. National law information center. Waste control act. Available: http://www.law.go.kr [accessed March 23, 2018].
  8. Ministry of Environment. Medical waste management guidebook 2008. Available: http://me.go.kr/daegu/web/main.do [accessed 23 March 2018].
  9. Ko JW, Sakong J. The effects on water quality of mercury released from dental amalgam. J Environ Health Sci. 2018; 44(1): 24-30.
  10. Ananth AP, Prashanthini V, Visvanathan C. Healthcare waste management in Asia. Waste Manag. 2010; 30(1): 154-161. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2009.07.018
  11. Kumar R, Somrongthong R, Ahmed J. Effect of medical waste management trainings on behavior change among doctors versus nurses and paramedical staff in Pakistan. J Ayub Med Coll Abbottabad. 2016; 28(3): 493-496.
  12. Kapoor D, Nirola A, Kapoor V, Gambhir RS. Knowledge and awareness regarding biomedical waste management in dental teaching institutions in India- A systematic review. J Clin Exp Dent. 2014; 6(4): e419-e424.
  13. Danaei M, Karimzadeh P, Momeni M, Palenik CJ, Nayebi M, Keshavarzi V, et al. The management of dental waste in dental offices and clinics in Shiraz, Southern Iran. Int J Occup Environ Med. 2014; 5(1): 18-23.
  14. Haralur SB, Al-Qahtani AS, Al-Qarni MM, Al-Homrany RM, Aboalkhair AE, Madalakote SS. The dental solid waste management in different categories of dental laboratories in Abha city, Saudi Arabia. Open Dent J. 2015; 9: 449-454. https://doi.org/10.2174/1874210601509010449
  15. Oh SE, Park SH, Ahn HK, Ji KH, Kim PG, Hong YS, et al. A survey on the current state of medical waste treatment and the opinion of medical waste managers about on-site treatment of the general hospitals in Korea. Korean Public Health Research 2016; 42(3): 13-22.
  16. Kim HJ, Sakong J. Dental waste management practices at dental offices in Gyeongsangnam-do. J Environ Health Sci. 2012; 38(4): 332-339.
  17. Seong MA. Dental waste management practices at dental offices in Daegu city, [dissertation]. [Gyeongsan]: Yeungnam University; 2013.
  18. Jokstad A, Fan PL. Amalgam waste management. Int Dent J. 2006; 56(3): 147-153. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1875-595X.2006.tb00087.x
  19. Fredin B. Mercury release from dental amalgam fillings. Int J Risk Saf Med. 1994; 4(3): 197-208.
  20. American Dental Association. Oral health topics, Amalgam separators and waste best management. Available: http://www.ada.org/en/member-center/oral-health-topics/amalgam-separators [accessed 23 March 2018].
  21. Ministry of Environment. Minamata convention on mercury. Available: http://www.me.go.kr/home/web/policy_data/read.do?menuId=10276&seq=6807 [accessed 23 March 2018].
  22. National law information center. Water management act. Available: http://www.law.go.kr [accessed 23 March 2018].
  23. World Health Organization. Health-care waste. Available: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs253/en [accessed 23 March 2018].