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Chapter 8 Biomedical waste and bioenergy: prospects and challenges

  • Divya Joshi , Aditi Saxena , Navdeep Sharma and Deep Chandra Suyal
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Biomedical Waste Management
This chapter is in the book Biomedical Waste Management

Abstract

Healthcare operations depend heavily on the management of biomedical waste (BMW), which has important consequences for environmental sustainability and public health. Because of its toxic nature and possible threats to the environment and public health, disposing of BMW can be difficult. Nevertheless, this waste stream also has the potential to be a great resource for energy generation, providing a twofold advantage for trash management and the production of renewable energy. Several processes, such as pyrolysis, anaerobic digestion, gasification, and incineration, have been developed to turn BMW into energy. The most popular method, incineration, involves burning waste at high temperatures to generate energy or heat. Despite its effectiveness, incineration causes air pollution and leaves behind ash residue. Medical waste (MW) presents an intriguing opportunity to generate clean energy while mitigating the negative impacts associated with its accumulation. Embracing energy production from MW represents a viable solution to this pressing challenge, offering a unique opportunity to promote sustainability and improve public health outcomes worldwide. This chapter explores the prospects of energy generation from MW, highlighting both technological advancements and potential obstacles as well as draw attention to concept and benefits of waste-to-energy for BMW which can reduce landfill waste, creation of substantial energy, and recovery of excess metals for recycling purposes.

Abstract

Healthcare operations depend heavily on the management of biomedical waste (BMW), which has important consequences for environmental sustainability and public health. Because of its toxic nature and possible threats to the environment and public health, disposing of BMW can be difficult. Nevertheless, this waste stream also has the potential to be a great resource for energy generation, providing a twofold advantage for trash management and the production of renewable energy. Several processes, such as pyrolysis, anaerobic digestion, gasification, and incineration, have been developed to turn BMW into energy. The most popular method, incineration, involves burning waste at high temperatures to generate energy or heat. Despite its effectiveness, incineration causes air pollution and leaves behind ash residue. Medical waste (MW) presents an intriguing opportunity to generate clean energy while mitigating the negative impacts associated with its accumulation. Embracing energy production from MW represents a viable solution to this pressing challenge, offering a unique opportunity to promote sustainability and improve public health outcomes worldwide. This chapter explores the prospects of energy generation from MW, highlighting both technological advancements and potential obstacles as well as draw attention to concept and benefits of waste-to-energy for BMW which can reduce landfill waste, creation of substantial energy, and recovery of excess metals for recycling purposes.

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter I
  2. Contents V
  3. List of contributing authors IX
  4. Chapter 1 Current status of biomedical waste generation in the world 1
  5. Chapter 2 Conventional and modern biomedical waste management technologies 15
  6. Chapter 3 Biomedical waste management: challenges and opportunities 39
  7. Chapter 4 Technological advancements for biomedical waste management 51
  8. Chapter 5 Segregation of biomedical waste: methodologies and importance 65
  9. Chapter 6 Metal recovery from biomedical waste: prospects and Perspectives 85
  10. Chapter 7 Biomedical waste treatment and energy generation 103
  11. Chapter 8 Biomedical waste and bioenergy: prospects and challenges 115
  12. Chapter 9 Utilization of biomedical waste as construction substitute 131
  13. Chapter 10 Segregation of biomedical waste: methodologies and importance 147
  14. Chapter 11 Biomedical waste management strategies: prospects and future scenario 161
  15. Chapter 12 The significance of information technology in enhancing revenue generation from biomedical waste management 179
  16. Chapter 13 Economics and market scenario of biomedical waste management 193
  17. Chapter 14 Biomedical waste: economics and market trends 207
  18. Chapter 15 Government initiatives and futuristic plans for waste management and revenue generation 219
  19. Chapter 16 Biomedical waste: environmental impacts and sustainable management 231
  20. Chapter 17 Environmental impact of diverse biomedical waste and their sustainable management strategies 261
  21. Chapter 18 Recovery of silver from used X-ray film for Sphingomonas paucimobilis MX8 273
  22. Index 283
https://doi.org/10.1515/9783111305288-008

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter I
  2. Contents V
  3. List of contributing authors IX
  4. Chapter 1 Current status of biomedical waste generation in the world 1
  5. Chapter 2 Conventional and modern biomedical waste management technologies 15
  6. Chapter 3 Biomedical waste management: challenges and opportunities 39
  7. Chapter 4 Technological advancements for biomedical waste management 51
  8. Chapter 5 Segregation of biomedical waste: methodologies and importance 65
  9. Chapter 6 Metal recovery from biomedical waste: prospects and Perspectives 85
  10. Chapter 7 Biomedical waste treatment and energy generation 103
  11. Chapter 8 Biomedical waste and bioenergy: prospects and challenges 115
  12. Chapter 9 Utilization of biomedical waste as construction substitute 131
  13. Chapter 10 Segregation of biomedical waste: methodologies and importance 147
  14. Chapter 11 Biomedical waste management strategies: prospects and future scenario 161
  15. Chapter 12 The significance of information technology in enhancing revenue generation from biomedical waste management 179
  16. Chapter 13 Economics and market scenario of biomedical waste management 193
  17. Chapter 14 Biomedical waste: economics and market trends 207
  18. Chapter 15 Government initiatives and futuristic plans for waste management and revenue generation 219
  19. Chapter 16 Biomedical waste: environmental impacts and sustainable management 231
  20. Chapter 17 Environmental impact of diverse biomedical waste and their sustainable management strategies 261
  21. Chapter 18 Recovery of silver from used X-ray film for Sphingomonas paucimobilis MX8 273
  22. Index 283
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