Emad Dehghanifard - Environmental Health Engineering Department, School of Public Health, Alborz University of Medical Sciences
Mohammad Hadi Dehghani - Environmental Health Engineering Department, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences
Kamal Azam - Epidemiology and Biostatistics Department, School of Public Health, Alborz University of Medical Sciences
Fazlollah Changani - Environmental Health Engineering Department, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences

The management of medical waste is of great importance due to its potential environmental hazards and public health risks. This study was carried in ١٢ teaching hospitals of Tehran University of medical sciences (TUMS). The goals of this study were initiated to characterize solid wastes generated in healthcare hospitals, to report on the current status of medical waste management and to provide a framework for the safe management of these wastes at the considered hospitals. The methodology is descriptive, cross-sectional and observation and consisted in the use of surveys and interviews with the authorities of the healthcare facilities and with personnel involved in the management of the wastes. The results showed that medical wastes generated in hospitals are extremely heterogeneous in composition. ٤٢% of wastes are collected in container and plastic bag. In ٧٥% of hospitals under the study, the stay-time in storage sites is about ١٢-٢٤ hours. ٩٢% of medical wastes of hospitals are collected by covered-trucks. In ٤٦ % of hospitals, transferring of medical waste to temporary stations is done manually. The average of waste generation rates in the hospitals was estimated to be ٤.٤٢ kg/bed/day

Key words: Medical Waste, Transportation, Treatment, Management, Healthcare Hospital, TUMS