RESULTS B – Implementation actions

B1 – Involvement and support the screening of medical institutions and veterinary clinics that discard medical equipment

The interlocutors of this action are the organisations that use equipment or biomedical devices and for which it has been decided to dispose. The aim of the action is essentially the construction of a process of analysis of the equipment discarded “macro-dividing” them according to the type in order to be able to define the target channels.

Results achieved to date (the action is still in progress):

• 60 contacts with medical institutions;
• 10 answers and requests of information;
• Agreements with 5 medical centres;
• Joint training days between Cauto’s operators and AFF’s (in Italy and in Romania);
• Continuation of the promotional activities with structures already in contact and scheduling meetings with new structures.

[updated to November 2015]

B2 – Analysis for the correct characterization as waste of medical equipment

The main objective of this action is the development of scientific criteria for the proper characterisation of some medical equipment for the presence inside them of dangerous substances or other issues related to their classification as waste.

Results achieved to date (the action is still in progress):

• Developed scientific criteria for the correct characterisation of some medical equipment, in relation to the presence of dangerous substances (according to RoHS Directive) or other problems related to their classification as waste;
• 1 medical equipment analysed to verify the presence of dangerous substances (according to RoHS Directive) and possible radioactivity.

[updated to November 2015]

B3 – Management of waste of medical equipment from medical institutions (included veterinary clinics), in particular WEEE

The purpose of this action is to modulate the management system of medical equipment that an institution (hospital, clinic, doctor, etc.) or a veterinary unit (clinical, laboratory, studio) have decided to dispose as waste.

Results achieved to date (the action is still in progress):

• 20 tons of waste managed coming from medical institutions;Joint training days between Cauto’s operators and AFF’s (in Italy and in Romania);
• Joint training days between Cauto’s operators and AFF’s (Brescia, September 2nd-4th 2015; Brescia, September 19th-22nd 2016);
• Agreements with 8 receiving facilities

[updated to September 2016]

B4 – Laboratory for the recovery of medical equipment

The action involves the implementation of an enterprise for the revision of the equipment. The aim of this action is to promote the path of charity donation of medical equipment by establishing procedures within the integrated system for the proper management of the equipment.

Results achieved to date (the action is still in progress):

• A laboratory for review of the equipment has been organised;
• 60 medical equipment and 20 health care facilities (equivalent to 10 tons of avoided waste) have been revised.

[updated to November 2015]

B5 – Donation of recovered medical equipment to medical institutions and recipients all over the European territory 

The objective of the action is the set-up of a proper process of donation for medical equipment to individuals and organisations operating on the territory of EU, in particular to health and social entities carrying out charity activities.

Results achieved to date (the action is still in progress):

• 20 institutions benefiting of the equipment contacted;
• 50 electro-medical devices donated to subjects operating in Italy, Romania and Lithuania.

[updated to November 2015]

B6 – Distribution to privates of home health care equipment and small devices

The aim is the organisation of a system of distribution of home healthcare equipment on the territory around Medicus Mundi Attrezzature intervention area.

Results achieved to date (the action is still in progress):

• 50 small devices donated;
• 100 private contacts for information about distribution of home health care equipment and small devices;
• Collaboration with associations on the territory around Medicus Mundi Attrezzature intervention area.

[updated to November 2015]

B7 – Application of the integrated system in Romania and Eastern Europe 

The action involves the application of the integrated system launched on the Italian territory also in Western Europe, in the Romanian context and Eastern Europe.

Results achieved to date (the action is still in progress):

• Organisation of the laboratory;
• A market research that involved the Association University of Bucharest in order to check the availability of hospitals for donation/reception has been launched;
• Training for local operators (Bucharest, September 8th-9th 2016).

[updated to September 2016]

B8 – National working table of consultation for the definition of guidelines in the field of management of discarded medical equipment 

The purpose of this action is to involve various national institutions and consortia operating in the field of waste management in order to compare the results, to define common procedures and to collect proposals for simplification or change of legislation.

Results achieved to date (the action is still in progress):

• Meetings to plan the activities;
• Meeting in Rome on 7/8 October 2015;
• Round-table during Ecomondo on 4th November 2015;
• Meeting with Regione Lombardia (Health Department and Environmental Department) on 24th February 2016;
• Meeting with CdCRAEE and Second Life has been established in 2016;
• Study of the sector legislation in Europe and in Italy;
• Round-table during Ecomondo on 10th November 2016;
• Actual state and evaluation on the management of electromedical equipment.

Documents:

• Report on the current legislation in Europe and in Italy

[updated to July 2016]

B9 – Life cycle assessment (LCA)

This action consists in the comparison of the new MED integrated management system with common alternatives in terms of their environmental performance in order to quantify the environmental advantages achieved with the innovation introduced.

Results achieved to date (the action is still in progress):

• A collection of references has been made;
• A report about the state of the art in LCA regarding discarded medical equipment is underway.

[updated to November 2015]