A Preliminary Inventory of Hazardous Medical Waste Disposal Systems and their Influence on Groundwater Quality in Lusaka

ABSTRACT

Water forms the basis of life and an essential prerequisite for any socio-economic development and growth. Currently; groundwater has increasingly become a comparatively cheap source of water supply for domestic and other uses in Zambia. However; in Lusaka; the aquifer is vulnerable and fragile because it is shallow and hosted by an open karst system. Since waste management practices have become increasingly inappropriate; such that some of the waste has ended up in karst caverns; there are increased threats of unhindered infiltration of leachate and contaminants to the aquifer. Medical waste constitutes one form of waste; which is inappropriately handled and disposed of in Lusaka. To check on the effects of such practices; the research team undertook mapping of healthcare centres in Lusaka; took an inventory of the types of medical wastes produced at each centre; and their methods of disposal. Seven water points located near these possible sources of pollution were sampled in Chawama; Kanyama; Matero Main; Matero Reference; Kalingalinga; Chipata and George clinics and tested for pH; conductivity; total dissolved solids; total coliforms; faecal coliforms and chemical oxygen demand (COD) as O.Results of these tests revealed that only two water points met the WHO guidelines for drinking water