Title – Waste Management
Author – Shravani Kalage
Literature review –
Impact of intervention on healthcare waste management practices in a tertiary care government hospital Nepal
A 2014 study at Nepal Civil Service Hospital assessed healthcare waste management (HCWM) using the IRAT tool. Initially, the hospital had no HCWM committee, policies, proper segregation, or trained staff, leading to a low compliance score of 26%. After an eight-month intervention that included forming a committee, staff training, SOP development, color-coded segregation, and safety measures like PPE and vaccination, compliance improved significantly to 86%. The study highlights that structured planning, training, and strong administrative support can greatly enhance HCWM practices in resource-limited hospitals.
Correlates of domestic waste management and related health outcomes in Sunyani, Ghana: a protocol towards enhancing policy
A cross-sectional study in Sunyani, Ghana, surveyed 700 households and found that each generated about 0.002 tons of waste daily, with many producing mixed organic and inorganic waste. Although over half of respondents had a positive attitude toward waste management, only 29.1% practiced proper disposal and most relied on open dumping, with very low recycling rates. Factors such as gender, household size, recycling behavior, distance to dumpsites, and cholera occurrence influenced waste management practices. The study concludes that despite awareness of health risks, poor waste management persists, emphasizing the need for better policies, infrastructure, and public education.
Understanding community insights on waste segregation and environmental health using a photovoice based crowdsourcing approach in India
The 2026 study by Kalyanasundaram et al. used a photovoice-based crowdsourcing approach in India to understand community perceptions of waste segregation through 122 photo submissions and narratives. It identified key themes including the need for greater awareness, the health and environmental impacts of improper waste practices, and the importance of community–government collaboration. The findings showed that promoting behaviour change requires improving awareness, motivation, and opportunities, highlighting the effectiveness of participatory methods in developing inclusive, community-centered waste management strategies.
Challenges and measures during management of mounting biomedical waste in COVID-19 pandemic: an Indian approach
The review highlights a sharp increase in biomedical waste in India during the COVID-19 pandemic, reaching about 710 tonnes daily, with significant challenges in segregation, collection, transport, and disposal despite existing regulations. Poor compliance, inadequate training, limited facilities, and mixing of biomedical and general waste increased environmental and health risks. It stresses the need for stricter guideline implementation, better infrastructure, training, technological support, and stronger coordination among authorities for safe and effective biomedical waste management.
Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Biomedical Waste Management Among Doctors and Nurses During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Puducherry: A Cross-Sectional Study
This cross-sectional study in a private tertiary care centre in Puducherry assessed biomedical waste management KAP among 384 doctors and nurses during COVID-19. Most participants showed good knowledge (76.8%), highly favourable attitudes (98.2%), and good practices (89.6%), with doctors performing slightly better than nurses. Training and occupation significantly influenced knowledge, and a positive link between knowledge and practice was observed. The study concludes that continuous training and regular education are needed to further improve biomedical waste management during pandemics.
Waste Management to Achieve Sustainable Development Goals: Approach for Indian Cities
The paper explains that rapid urbanization and poor planning have made solid waste management a major challenge in India, with much waste untreated and dumped in landfills. It highlights best practices such as source segregation, composting, decentralized systems, smart technologies, and community participation. Despite initiatives like Swachh Bharat Mission and SWM Rules (2016), issues like poor segregation, weak infrastructure, and enforcement persist. Case studies show that public awareness, incentives, and stakeholder involvement are key to achieving sustainable and effective waste management.
Innovative solid waste management strategies for smart cities in Tamil Nadu: challenges, technological solutions, and sustainable prospects
This study on eleven Smart Cities in Tamil Nadu shows that while waste collection is fairly efficient, proper segregation at source is still weak, which affects recycling and processing. Major issues include low public awareness, poor infrastructure, financial limits, and heavy reliance on landfills. The study suggests an integrated approach with better segregation, decentralized processing, smart technologies, public–private partnerships, and circular economy practices to improve sustainability and overall urban waste management.
Need for a Circular Economy to Manage E Waste An Analysis of Indian Legal Regime
This paper focuses on India’s response to e waste through the E Waste Management Rules 2016 and 2022, evaluating their effectiveness in promoting extended producer responsibility and structured collection mechanisms. It critiques enforcement gaps, informal sector dominance, and limited infrastructure while emphasizing the importance of circular economy principles such as reduce, reuse, repair, refurbish, and recycle. The study concludes that stronger implementation, stakeholder accountability, and integration of circular strategies into legal frameworks are essential for sustainable e waste management in India.
Exploring the E Waste Crisis and Its Environmental Impact
This paper analyzes the global scale of the e waste crisis, linking rapid technological change, consumer behavior, and short product life cycles to rising waste generation. It details the harmful effects of hazardous substances such as heavy metals and toxic chemicals on human health and ecosystems, especially in developing nations where informal recycling dominates. The study calls for improved global cooperation,stricter enforcement of waste regulations,better data tracking, and investment in safe recycling technologies to mitigate long term environmental damage.
An Integrated Approach for Electronic Waste Management
This paper examines the growing volume of electronic waste and stresses the need for a coordinated management framework that combines policy intervention, technological systems, stakeholder participation, and public awareness. It highlights the environmental and health hazards caused by improper disposal and informal recycling, including toxic emissions and resource loss. The study supports structured collection systems, formal recycling infrastructure, extended producer responsibility, and stronger regulatory monitoring to ensure efficient material recovery and sustainable waste governance.
Conclusion :
Overall, the reviewed studies collectively highlight that effective waste management—whether biomedical, domestic, municipal, or e-waste—depends on structured policies, continuous training, public awareness, and strong institutional commitment. Evidence from the Nepal hospital intervention clearly shows that administrative planning, staff training, and proper segregation systems can significantly improve healthcare waste management compliance even in resource-limited settings. Similarly, studies from Ghana and India reveal a consistent gap between awareness and actual waste management practices, mainly due to inadequate infrastructure, weak enforcement, and behavioral barriers. Research during the COVID-19 pandemic in India further emphasizes that poor segregation, lack of training, and insufficient facilities increase environmental and public health risks, especially with rising biomedical waste. Findings from KAP studies indicate that higher knowledge and regular training among healthcare workers directly enhance safe waste handling practices. Additionally, smart city and sustainability-focused studies stress the importance of source segregation, decentralized systems, smart technologies, circular economy principles, and community participation for long-term sustainability. Across all contexts, a common theme emerges: integrated approaches combining policy implementation, education, technological innovation, stakeholder collaboration, and strict monitoring are essential to achieve sustainable, safe, and efficient waste management systems while protecting environmental and public health.
Reference :
Alagoz, A. Z., & Kocasoy, G. (2008). Improvement and modification of the routing system for the health-care waste collection and transportation in Istanbul. Waste Management, 28, 1461–1471.
Burns, K. N., Sun, K., Fobil, J. N., & Neitzel, R. L. (2016). Heart rate, stress, and occupational noise exposure among electronic waste recycling workers. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 13(1), 140. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph13010140�
Centre for Science and Environment. (2021). Managing COVID-19 biomedical waste in India. https://www.cseindia.org/managing-COVID-19-biomedical-waste-in-india-10861�
Deblina, D., & Goel, S. (2021). Understanding the gap between formal and informal e-waste recycling facilities in India. Waste Management, 125, 163–171.
Gupta, S., Mohan, K., Prasad, R., Gupta, S., & Kansal, A. (1998). Solid waste management in India: Options and opportunities. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 24(2), 137–154.
Kaza, S., Shrikanth, S., Chaudhary, S., & Lalitha, H. (2023). What a waste: A global review of solid waste management (2nd ed.). World Bank Group. https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/39664�
Raisch, S., & Krakowski, S. (2020). Artificial intelligence and management: The automation-augmentation paradox. Academy of Management Review, 46, 192–210.
Shahab, S., & Anjum, M. (2022). Solid waste management scenario in India and illegal dump detection using deep learning: An AI approach towards sustainable waste management. Sustainability, 14(23), 15896.
Vikaspedia. (2016). Bio-medical waste management rules (2016). https://vikaspedia.in/energy/environment/waste-management/bio-medical-waste-management/bio-medical-waste-management-rules�
Yadav, N., & Bandyopadhyay, M. (2015). An assessment of generation, recycling and disposal of electronic wastes in India. International Journal of Environmental Science and Technology, 12, 423–432