Merging Health, Green and Clean Tech

Globally, healthcare is significantly challenged by rising antibiotic resistance, hospital-acquired infection, staff shortages, capital, and operational funding pressure. In deploying the Pharmafilter system, hospitals are removing the input of pharmaceuticals, including antibiotics, to the environment via hospital wastewater – a critical point in antibiotic stewardship. In addition, essential support services are automated, benefitting staffing, operations, economics, hygiene, patient and staff safety.

From waste management to water use to the near-zero carbon targets, Hospitals are operating under increasing environmental regulation at a time when demand for care is growing. Hospitals are required and expected to treat and care for patients while also contributing to a healthy society and sustainable environment. The decentralised Pharmafilter approach of combined on-site of hospital waste and wastewater treatment has proven environmental benefits while improving patient care.
The healthcare sector possesses a unique healing purpose. Yet, hospitals are key point sources for specialised pharmaceutical and microbiological residues entering the environment. It is a substantial source of contamination that can endanger ecosystems and the environment and accelerate the development of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) – a severe public health threat.

Up to 90% of orally administered pharmaceuticals are excreted into wastewater as active substances in the faeces and urine of patients. This enables pharmaceuticals and their metabolites to be released into the aquatic ecosystem through hospital effluents. Due to technical and economic constraints, it is not possible to remove these contaminants at a receiving wastewater treatment plant because of the specialist techniques required,
As design intends pharmaceuticals to interact with living organisms, even low environmental concentrations are a concern. While conventional medicines are frequently consumed in the community, more specialised pharmaceutical products, e.g., cytostatic drugs, (restricted)antibiotics, and X-ray contrast agents, are principally administered in hospitals and clinics.

In addition, the generation of waste categories within a healthcare setting and the management, and disposal continues to generate unprecedented challenges in terms of increased volume and increasing cost for all concerned. Moreover, the global waste supply chain is undergoing transformative realignment and adjustment. Given ongoing environmental legislative reform, whereby healthcare risk waste is becoming restricted to the country or jurisdiction it arises, placing limits for official shipping and movement for disposal around the globe, the Pharmafilter system is at the nucleus of resolving these challenges.

The Pharmafilter on-site system and operation method is a combined approach to efficiently and economically managing healthcare-generated wastes and wastewaters at the source. The platform improves service delivery and achieves better outcomes for the hospital, its patients, staff, and the environment.