Advice and Guidelines
General Documents
These documents cover the subject broadly, but may lack in detail.
See Specific Documents, later in this section, for SOPs, audit checklists and task lists which cover areas in more details.
GGHH Waste Guidance Document
Accessible to members of the HCWH’s Global Green and Healthy Hospitals network , the GGHH Waste Guidance document sets out ways to meet the target of reducing, managing and treating waste in the most sustainable way considering that the different situations found in different countries will mean there is no perfect solution that will suit all circumstances. For more information about how to join GGHH, click here.
WHO Blue Book
“Blue Book” is the World Health Organization’s guidelines on the safe management of healthcare waste. Although it has global application, it is particularly important in low to middle income countries where the infrastructure and national guidelines might not be fully developed. The current edition, published in 2014, was written by a large group of internationally recognised experts, including HCWH staff. An abridged version was published in 2017 and is available in English, Russian and French.
Chartier et al. (2014) Safe management of wastes from health-care activities, second edition. http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/85349/1/9789241548564_eng.pdf
- WHO (2017) Safe management of wastes from health-care activities: A summary. http://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/publications/safe-management-of-waste-summary/en/
- Mainstreaming Environmental Management in the Health Care Sector: This document,
produced by the World Bank, is focused on India but has much information that
will be useful to waste managers everywhere. World Bank (2012) Mainstreaming environmental management in the health care sector: Implementation experience in India and a tool-kit for managers. Vol I & II. Publ: World Bank, Washington DC, 151pp. - Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions through Recycling and Composting (2011): This document demonstrates how the U.S. EPA’s Waste Reduction Model (WARM) Calculator can be used to estimate greenhouse gas emissions from recycling diverse materials. https://journals.lib.washington.edu/index.php/ltj/article/viewFile/12257/10804
Specific documents: guidances, SOPs, checklists, task lists
Guidances, SOPs, checklists, task lists
- The World Health Organisation (WHO) has a large website including tools and
information for use at the country and facility level, from policy documents to
costing to legislation:
https://www.healthcare-waste.org/, http://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/facilities/waste/en/ - UNDP GEF (2009) Guidance on Conducting a Baseline Assessment of a Healthcare Facility. Publ: UNDP GEF Global Healthcare Waste Project, 34pp
- UNDP GEF (2009) Individualized Rapid Assessment Tool (I-RAT)
- UNDP GEF guidance on Elements for a baseline assessment: This guidance lists the data needed from a healthcare facility before the introduction of best practices and techniques related to healthcare waste management. It also describes the rationale and procedures to gather and analyze the baseline data.
Centres for Disease Control (CDC) documents
These documents were created with funding from the US Centres for Disease Control
- Health Care Waste Management Training - Guidance: https://noharm-global.org/documents/health-care-waste-management-training-guidance
- Health Care Waste Management Prophylaxis Guidance: https://noharm-global.org/documents/health-care-waste-management-prophylaxis-guidance
- Health Care Waste Management Worker PPE - Guidance: https://noharm-global.org/documents/health-care-waste-management-worker-ppe-guidance
- Department Training Record: https://noharm-global.org/documents/department-training-record
- Employee Training Record: https://noharm-global.org/documents/employee-training-record
- Training Program Attendance Log: https://noharm-global.org/documents/training-program-attendance-log
- Waste Minimization and Recycling Of Infectious Waste - Guidance: https://noharm-global.org/documents/waste-minimization-and-recycling-infectious-waste-guidance
- On-site Handling of Health Care Waste - Guidance: https://noharm-global.org/documents/site-handling-health-care-waste-guidance
- On-Site Handling and Transport of Infectious Waste for Housekeeping Staff - SOP: https://noharm-global.org/documents/site-handling-and-transport-infectious-waste-housekeeping-staff-sop
- Facility Health Care Waste Management Plan - Guidance: https://noharm-global.org/documents/facility-health-care-waste-management-plan-guidance
- Facility Waste Management Oversight Committee - Guidance: https://noharm-global.org/documents/facility-waste-management-oversight-committee-guidance
- Health Care Waste Management Budget Planning - Guidance: https://noharm-global.org/documents/health-care-waste-management-budget-planning-guidance
- Model HCWM Systems for Each Facility Type: https://noharm-global.org/documents/model-hcwm-systems-each-facility-type
- Management of Offsite Infectious Waste Transportation, Treatment, and Disposal Service Provider ‒ Guidance: https://noharm-global.org/documents/management-offsite-infectious-waste-transportation-treatment-and-disposal-service-provider
- Health Care Waste Management Audit Procedures - Guidance: https://noharm-global.org/documents/health-care-waste-management-audit-procedures-guidance
- Inspection Checklist: Housekeeping/Waste Handler: https://noharm-global.org/documents/inspection-checklist-housekeepingwaste-handler
- Inspection Checklist: Waste Holding and Storage: https://noharm-global.org/documents/inspection-checklist-waste-holding-and-storage
- Inspection Checklist: Laboratory Waste Management: https://noharm-global.org/documents/inspection-checklist-laboratory-waste-management
- Inspection Checklist: Supervisor/Matron: https://noharm-global.org/documents/inspection-checklist-supervisormatron
- Audit Checklist: Autoclave Operation: https://noharm-global.org/documents/audit-checklist-autoclave-operation
- Biological Spill Clean-up - SOP: https://noharm-global.org/documents/biological-spill-clean-sop
- Incident Reporting Form: https://noharm-global.org/documents/incident-reporting-form
- Incident Log: https://noharm-global.org/documents/incident-log
- Autoclave Inspection and Routine Maintenance - SOP: https://noharm-global.org/documents/autoclave-inspection-and-routine-maintenance-sop
- Shredder or Grinder Maintenance Checks - SOP: https://noharm-global.org/documents/shredder-or-grinder-maintenance-checks-sop
- Autoclave Validation and Challenge Testing - SOP: https://noharm-global.org/documents/autoclave-validation-and-challenge-testing-sop
- Autoclave Maintenance Log: https://noharm-global.org/documents/autoclave-maintenance-log
- Technical specifications: Ash Pits: https://noharm-global.org/documents/technical-specifications-ash-pits
- Technical Specifi cations: Organic Waste: https://noharm-global.org/documents/technical-specifications-organic-waste
- Technical Specifications: Biogas Digesters: https://noharm-global.org/documents/technical-specifications-biogas-digesters
- Technical Specifications: Placenta Pit: https://noharm-global.org/documents/technical-specifications-placenta-pit
- Elements of a Model Facility Policy on Healthcare Waste Management: https://noharm-global.org/documents/elements-model-facility-policy-healthcare-waste-management
- Audit Checklist: Incinerator Operation: https://noharm-global.org/documents/audit-checklist-incinerator-operation
- Health Care Waste Management Training - Guidance: https://noharm-global.org/documents/health-care-waste-management-training-guidance
- Health Care Waste Management Prophylaxis Guidance: https://noharm-global.org/documents/health-care-waste-management-prophylaxis-guidance
- Health Care Waste Management Worker PPE - Guidance: https://noharm-global.org/documents/health-care-waste-management-worker-ppe-guidance
- Department Training Record: https://noharm-global.org/documents/department-training-record
- Employee Training Record: https://noharm-global.org/documents/employee-training-record
- Training Program Attendance Log: https://noharm-global.org/documents/training-program-attendance-log
- Waste Minimization and Recycling Of Infectious Waste - Guidance: https://noharm-global.org/documents/waste-minimization-and-recycling-infectious-waste-guidance
- On-site Handling of Health Care Waste - Guidance: https://noharm-global.org/documents/site-handling-health-care-waste-guidance
- On-Site Handling and Transport of Infectious Waste for Housekeeping Staff - SOP: https://noharm-global.org/documents/site-handling-and-transport-infectious-waste-housekeeping-staff-sop
- Waste Receipt Log: https://noharm-global.org/documents/waste-receipt-log
- Sanitary Sewer Disposal of Liquid Laboratory Waste - Guidance: https://noharm-global.org/documents/sanitary-sewer-disposal-liquid-laboratory-waste-guidance
- On-site Treatment and Disposal of Blood Transfusion: https://noharm-global.org/documents/site-treatment-and-disposal-blood-transfusion-products-guidance
- Chemical Waste Management - Guidance: https://noharm-global.org/documents/chemical-waste-management-guidance
- Chemical Decontamination of Laboratory Wastes - SOP: https://noharm-global.org/documents/chemical-decontamination-laboratory-wastes-sop
- Chemical Treatment Log: https://noharm-global.org/documents/chemical-treatment-log
- Disposal of Filled Blood Bags by Autoclaving - SOP: https://noharm-global.org/documents/disposal-filled-blood-bags-autoclaving-sop
- Autoclave Operation - SOP: https://noharm-global.org/documents/autoclave-operation-sop
- Autoclave Operation Log: https://noharm-global.org/documents/autoclave-operation-log
- Autoclave Validation and Challenge Test Log: https://noharm-global.org/documents/autoclave-validation-and-challenge-test-log
- National Assessment Tool-final: https://noharm-global.org/documents/national-assessment-tool-final
- Waste Treatment System Evaluation: https://noharm-global.org/documents/task-title-c44-waste-treatment-system-evaluation