Ukraine

Pilot project on how to dispose of syringes using non-burn options

Summary

As a follow up of the 2002 injection safety assessment and the 2003 introduction of AD syringes in Ukraine, a pilot project was initiated with the objective to design a safe and viable process for disposing AD syringes through a non-burn option.

3 Objectives

1. Design a safe and viable process for disposing AD syringes by testing different systems:

• needle cutters;
• neutralisation by autoclaving;
• containment using safety containers and autoclaving bags;
• different methods of transport (public, private);
• disposal through shredding and recycling.

2. To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of the options.

3. Carry out extensive data collection so as to be able to recommend the safest and most viable process based on evidence.

Main conclusions

• improvement of safety confirmed by the staff
• real time saving for health workers
• no major technical problems to overcome
• major issues are around the way to organize waste autoclaving
• transport of waste (sharps) must be regulated
• recycling process seem to face a number of difficulties
• the new system doesn’t cost more than previous treatment and disposal techniques used.

Ressources

The complete study can be downloaded here.

A cost analysis pertaining to the recycling of auto-disable syringes in Ukraine can be found here.

Figure 1 and 2: schematic waste flow in a centralized and decentralized system.