, Nasir Musa HARUNA 2
, Zidani Danladi AHMED 3
, Aminullah Zakariyyah ABDUL 4
, Muhammad Abbagoni ABUBAKAR 3
, Amina Mohamed ALI 5
, Muhammad Jamil Umar SABO 6
, Balasubramanian THIAGARAJAN 7
2Department of Animal Science and Range Management, Modibbo Adama University (MAU), P.M.B 2076, Yola, Adamawa State, 640261, Nigeria
3Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID), P.M.B 1069, Maiduguri, Borno State, 600004, Nigeria; Medicinal Research Institute, Centre d’Etudes et de Recherche de Djibouti, IRM-CERD, 77101, République de Djibouti
4Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID), P.M.B 1069, Maiduguri, Borno State, 600004, Nigeria; Medicinal Research Institute, Centre d’Etudes et de Recherche de Djibouti, IRM-CERD, 77101, République de Djibouti; Department of Chemical Engineering, Federal University Wukari (FUW), P.M.B 1020, Wukari, Taraba State, 670101, Nigeria
5Medicinal Research Institute, Centre d’Etudes et de Recherche de Djibouti, IRM-CERD, 77101, République de Djibouti;
6Department of Surgery, University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH), PMB 1414, Bama Road, Maiduguri, Borno State, 600230, Nigeria
7Sri Lalithambigai Medical College Chennai, The Tamilnadu Dr MGR Medical University, 600032, India
Abstract
Addressing the pollution problems caused by improper disposal of effluents and wastes from pharmaceutical companies and medical facilities are important for the safety of humans and animals. This work highlights the challenges and developments in medical and pharmaceu-tical waste management practices across the world as well as their potential for bio-energy production. It involves the study of these waste properties, their impacts on the ecosystem and treatment or recycling methods. Various studies have shown that successes have been re-corded in converting some antibiotic contaminated wastewater to biogas in advance anaerobic digesters. Moreover, not all medical wastes are degradable, the use of placentas, hospital cotton waste, human urine, waste blood and surgery waste has been used in biogas plants built at close proximity to hospitals, in some cases. However, such plants are few and are only located in Tanzania, India and Philippines, among others to generate biogas to power hospitals, boil hot water needed by patients and for cooking. This is because the level of awareness as regards the dangers associated with indiscriminate disposal of medical and pharmaceutical waste is low and hence the development of waste disposal policy by countries is often overlooked. The implication of this is the spread of diseases in affected areas which can results in epidemics. It is therefore necessary to formulate policies that allow the harnessing of these wastes to biogas/bioenergy or the creation of better waste management practices that is environmentally safe.
