Latest insights on technologies for the treatment of solid medical waste: A review

Nowadays there is a growing concern in the treatment of solid medical waste due to the increase in waste generation that has been accelerated by the pandemic. This accentuated the problems of medical waste management, related to separation, storage, and transportation. In addition, current medical waste treatments are not globally accepted, since most of them generate pollutants, or simply not all treatment technologies are applied correctly. This review analyzes the basis for proper management, and the main existing technologies and developments carried out so far. An exhaustive comparison between them allows for distinguishing the pros, cons, scales, and applicability of each one. This is complemented with a TRL analysis to describe their degree of development. Furthermore, some waste-to-energy (WtE) alternatives are discussed since they represent an appealing option that can positively affect the environment and the economy of existing technologies. Finally, some tools and technology selection criteria shown in the literature are presented, along with some discussion of their economics. This paper exposes a theoretical approach based on the literature on the current situation of solid medical waste treatment and provides the basis for decision-making to implement some existing technologies. Likewise, it presents the limitations in the current system that are the kick for future research.