Evaluation of medical waste incinerators in Alexandria

Medical establishments play important roles in different activities by using of modern technology to serve the humans and the environment through different departments in the establishment and its firms. Medical wastes are considered as a hazardous waste because they contain toxic materials, infectious, or non-infectious wastes and they are considered as a hazard to millions of patients, health care workers, and visitors. Treatment processes for medical wastes comprise autoclaving, microwaving, chemical disinfection, irradiation, plasma system, and incineration. Incineration is a thermal process, which destroys most of the waste including microorganisms. Combustion process must be under controlled conditions to convert wastes containing hazardous materials into mineral residues and gases. Hospital waste incinerators may emit a number of pollutants depending on the waste being incinerated. These pollutants include particulate matter, acid gases, toxic metals, and toxic organic compounds products of incomplete combustion, e.g., dioxins, furans, and carbon monoxide, as well as sulfur oxides and nitrogen oxides. So, there should be a reduction of emissions of most of these pollutants by air pollution control devices. This study was conducted in 51 medical establishments [ME] in Alexandria. To evaluate its incinerators. It was found that only 31.4% of total ME have their own incinerators to treat their medical waste. Also, the incinerators conditions were poor with incomplete combustion. So, the study recommend handling of all medical wastes of ME in Alexandria by the company which is responsible now for management of domestic solid wastes of the city

Assessment of combustion products of medical waste incinerators in Alexandria

The emissions and ashes from medical waste incinerators might perform a threat to the environment and the public health. The aim of the present work is to evaluate the emissions and ashes of six medical wastes incinerators in six hospitals in Alexandria. Five air pollutants were sampled and analyzed in the emissions comprising smoke, lead, carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide.Ash samples were analyzed for bacterial count, volatile substances, lead and cadmium. Shape and color of ash were observed visually. The results of the present study have revealed that all the average values of gases in the six incinerators were within the limits stated in Egyptian environmental law, where as carbonaceous particulate [smoke] averages of the six incinerators have exceeded the maximum allowable limit in the law. On the other hand, lead concentration in emissions were far below the maximum allowable limit in the law. Incinerator No6 emissions have been significantly higher in CO, NO 2, SO 2 and smoke concentration than the other five incinerators P<0.001, P<0.0006, P<0.0001, and P<0.002 respectively. There was no significant variation in bacterial count of ash samples at 20°C and 37°C between the six studied incinerators. Volatile substance percentage of ash samples in the six incinerators were much higher than the recommended percentage. There was a highly significant variation between the six incinerators [p<0.005]. Lead and cadmium concentrations in ash samples were much higher than those in developed countries, meanwhile, more or less as those in developing countries. It is recommended to state specific realistic emissions limits for medical waste incinerators and to substitute sporadic incinerators in hospitals by two central incinerators in proper places outside the city

Environmental compliance of some industries in Alexandria

Industrial development plays an important role in the national economic and socio - economic growth, in Alexandria governorate, the second largest industrial zone in Egypt. Industrialization in the past has created a measurable environmental negative impact emanating from the used technologies when the environmental dimension was not proper integrated at all stages of planning, operation or emissions pollution control. As a result a wide myriad of pollutants have reached the environment causing economic loss to the pollution process as well as an unacceptable working environmental conditions. In addition Egypt is currently one of the Euromediterranean countries who will be an active member of the free trade zone between the Mediterranean sea north and south countries. The Egyptian industries have to comply with the national environmental laws as mandate for them to export or import from other countries in the region. As well the products has to be processed with cleaner technologies where all types of emissions have to be controlled and wastes minimized. In order for industries to achieve the environmental compliance with the Egyptian law they have to adopt the integrated environmental management scheme. Adoption of the integrated environmental management scheme dictates the top management commitment to the system, the selection of skilled environmental staff to conduct the required environmental process audit to assess the gabs of compliance with the mandates of blue law.The conduct of monitoring programs and continous training for the different levels of working staff to issue their commitment to the adoption of the system. This paper is aiming at the actual assessment of the different industrial plants including large, medium and small scale industries in the governorate. Case studies conducted to evaluate the adoption of the full integrated management system are also reported as supported by EPAP World Bank project

Reassessment of some environmental conditions of Maawa El- Sayadeen squatter area

Reassessment of some environmental conditions of Maawa El-Sayadeen squatter area was carried out during 2000. Due to unplanned urbanization, environmental sanitation has been ignored for several decades resulting in many health, social and economic problems. Maawa El-Sayadeen was chosen by West District officials for environmental and health upgrading in 1995, which depended mainly upon health education in addition to some engineering constructions The environmental conditions and health status were reported before 1995 and after 2000. The reassessment proved that, there was an increase in number of families use tap water inside the house by 29% compared with 1995 assessment. Moreover, number of families using water closets increased by 15%, also wastewater disposal throught public sewers increased by 34%. However, a decrease by 17% in dry areas surrounding the houses was recorded. Solid waste storage improved by 11% although solid waste collection sites decreased by 23%. It is concluded that, after Maawa El-Sayadeen area was exposed to a certain level of environmental upgrading, the environmental conditions of the area were some how better categorized, however, further training programs should be taken into account or stressed including increase of people awareness and strong partnership should be developed with their non governmental organizations

Assessment of drinking water quality of Borg El-Arab water purification plant

Borg El-Arab drinking water purification plant takes its raw water from El-Noubaria Canal at the Kilometer 95. El-Noubaria canal gets its water from the Nile at two points. The main bulk of water comes from EI-Riah EI-Behiery, while the second source of water coming from EI-Riah EI-Nassery. There are four agricultural drains at the kilometer 53.0, 66.0, 71.9 and 85.4 which return back to the canal and represent the sources of pollution of the canal. Chemical, physical and trace elements analysis were carried out for raw and treated water of Borg El-Arab drinking water purification plant. It was found that the quality of treated water for the different parameter, are in agreement with the Ministry of Health Decree N- 108/1995 for drinking water. Regarding total dissolved solids level, the quality of water was fair during Autumn and Summer as its value was 876.7 mg/l and 701.2 mg/l respectively, it was poor during spring as it reached 1113 mg/l, while during winter it was unacceptable [1312.7 mg/l] which exceed the higher permissible limit of the Ministry of Health Decree N 108/1995. This high TDS values make objectionable tastes in the public water supplied to Borg El-Arab city and the North West coast summer resorts. This taste of water provides no assurance to the public that such water is free of pathogens or toxic inorganic chemicals. So, we recommend EI-Hager canal as new intake source for providing Borg El-Arab drinking water purification plant with raw water free from pollutants and low in total dissolved solids concentration

Comparison between aerobic and anaerobic co-composting of agricultural residues

Three co-composting were carried out at the experimental station of the Faculty of Agriculture in Abis. Two aerobic co-composting of winter and summer crop residues and one anaerobic co-composting inter crop residue were produced. The development of the co-composting processes controlled by the temperature, moisture content and chemical composition was studied. The aerobic co-composting of winter crop residues was found to be the best experiment. This co-compost is expected to be free from pathogenic microorganisms as the dominant temperature was almost about 50C from the 42nd day till the 101st day of the experiment