Avaliação da geração de resíduos de laboratórios de análises clínicas em Santa Cruz do Sul, RS, Brasil, durante a pandemia de coronavírus,

Abstract

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, there was a need to develop methods to detect the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Clinical analysis laboratories were the main protagonists in this process, consequently generating a greater volume of contaminated waste. Thus, the probability of contamination at healthcare facilities and irreversible damage to the environment, public health, and the local/regional economy significantly increases when healthcare waste is not properly separated, collected and disposed of. In this context, this research aimed to verify how the coronavirus pandemic affected the generation of health waste in clinical analysis laboratories, analyzing and comparing, monthly, the volume of waste, frequency of collection and expenses arising from these activities in the years 2019 and 2020, in the Municipality of Santa Cruz do Sul, RS, Brazil. The results obtained indicated that in 2019 there was a monthly average of waste generation from health services, in the four researched laboratories, of 175 ± 150 L (Coefficient of Variation, CV = 85.7%), while in 2020 the monthly average was 277, 8 ± 315.1 L (CV = 113.4%). Thus, comparing the average values obtained, there was a 30.1% increase in the generation of hospital waste in 2020, the year the pandemic began. This condition leads to the rejection of the Null Hypothesis (H0) of this research, and consequent acceptance of the Alternative Hypothesis (H1), that the coronavirus pandemic increased the generation of waste in clinical analysis laboratories, in Santa Cruz do Sul, comparing the years 2019 and 2020. However, there were no additional economic expenses with waste collection and final disposal activities. In addition, there was a need for greater frequency of collection of waste generated by health units for final disposal.