Analysis of Healthcare Waste Generation in a Hospital of Midwestern Santa Catarina: an Approach via the WTM Platform

This is the authors' abstract. We don't add key points for this paper.

The management of healthcare waste represents a significant environmental and sanitary challenge, particularly in medium-sized hospitals. In this context, the present study aims at qualitatively and quantitatively analyzing the generation of healthcare waste in a hospital located at Caçador, Santa Catarina (Brazil), using data obtained from the Waste Transport Manifest (WTM) system, overseen by the Environmental Institute of Santa Catarina (IMA/SC). The results indicate an upward trend in total waste generation, with notable increases in 2020 and 2021, attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic. Group A was predominant throughout the analyzed period, rising from 32.26 tons in 2017 to 37.76 tons in 2024, whereas Group A3 remained stable at approximately 1 ton per year. Group B exhibited an increase until 2021, followed by a subsequent decline, while Group E showed a gradual reduction, reflecting improvements in biosafety protocols. Therefore, it is concluded that the WTM serves as an effective instrument for traceability and planning, contributing to the enhancement of hospital waste management.