What happens to hospital wastewater?

In the hospital context, every procedure, washing or cleaning generates liquid waste with a potential health and environmental impact. Hospital wastewater (HWW) contains a complex mixture of contaminants ranging from pathogenic microorganisms, pharmaceutical and hazardous chemical residues, to radioactive waste in some cases. Its inadequate management represents a direct threat to the ecosystem and public health.

What is hospital wastewater?

HWW comes from different areas within a hospital or healthcare facility: operating rooms, laboratories, pharmacies, isolation rooms, general services and more. Unlike domestic wastewater, HWW can contain:

• Remnants of drugs and antibiotics.

• Pathogens resistant to conventional treatment.

• Toxic waste and chemical reagents.

• Heavy metals and radioactive materials (in specific cases).

  
  

This combination makes HWW a high-risk effluent, which requires specialized treatment before discharge into the sewage system or the environment.

Technology and management solutions

Proper treatment of HWW involves a combination of physical, chemical and biological processes, tailored to each hospital's specific contaminant load. Some outstanding technologies include:

• Source separation systems: allow isolation of high-risk effluents (e.g., laboratories) from the rest of the greywater.

• Advanced treatments: such as ozonation, ultrafiltration membranes or UV reactors, effective against viruses, bacteria and pharmaceutical compounds.

• In-house treatment plants: integrated into the hospital design, they allow on-site treatment of wastewater before discharge.

• Continuous monitoring and preventive maintenance: key to ensuring system efficiency.

  
  

The institutional and cultural challenge

Beyond infrastructure, one of the greatest challenges is the lack of institutional awareness of the impact of HWWs. Often, partial or superficial compliance with regulations is prioritized, without a comprehensive approach to liquid waste management.

Implementing an effective treatment policy requires:

• Constant training of personnel.

• Investment in technology and maintenance.

• Collaboration between the health and environmental sectors and specialized industry.

• Integration of HWW treatment in the design of new hospitals.