EVALUATION OF WASTE DISPOSAL FROM HEALTH SERVICES IN CLINICAL LABORATORIES IN THE SOUTHERN REGION OF BAHIA: A SOCIO-ENVIRONMENTAL APPROACH.
handling; sustainability; environment; reverse logistics.
The residues produced in clinical analysis laboratories are considered a specific category of solid waste, because they have their particularities when classified as at risk, mainly chemical and biological. They are generated by service providers in medical, dental, laboratory, pharmaceutical, medical education and research institutions related to both the human and veterinary population, which have high potential risk. The inadequate management of these residues portray scans of dismay in the health sectors due to the risk it poses to people and the environment. This study aimed to evaluate the disposal of waste from health services in clinical laboratories in Southern of Bahia. This is a study characterized as descriptive and exploratory. As for the approach, the research is configured as quantitative. According to previous information collected in the Sanitary Surveillance from the city, Ilhéus-Ba, there are 32 clinical analysis laboratories with active CNPJ, but only 15 in operation, others considered collection points. From the total number of clinical laboratories, only 9 of them signed the consent agreement, agreeing with the research. Data were collected in October and November, 2022. It was made a narrative bibliographic review in the SciELO databases (Scientific Electronic Library Online), LILACS (Latin American and Caribbean Literature on Health Sciences) and MEDLINE (Medical Literature Analysis and Retrievel System Online) and inclusion and exclusion criteria were adopted to filter the articles found. To analyze the data of the waste from n= 9 laboratories according to the types of laboratory waste (infectious, chemical or common), type of material (paper, plastic, metal, glass, wood, latex, cotton, rubber or sharphole) descriptive and inferential statistical methods were applied. It was observed that the health legislation is not fully complied with by the laboratories, because irregularities were found as to storage locations for the RSS, relating to protection against insects and rodents, proximity to the kitchen and places of customer service, in addition to lack of access to external collection. On the criteria established by the RDC nº 222/2018 ANVISA, the management of RSS clinical laboratories in Southern of Bahia needs to undergo adjustments so that all stages of management of RSS comply with what the current legislation advocates.