COMPOSTING AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO REDUCE COMMON WASTE VOLUME IN HOSPITALS

Abstract

Composting is an alternative that has been used on a large scale as a tool for sustainability practices, being a form of recycling organic waste that avoids overloading waste in landfills. The process generates an organic compost that can be used to fertilize the soil in gardens and vegetable gardens. The present work aims to show that composting is a viable and safe procedure to use in hospitals. The methodology used was qualitative bibliographic research, a literature review authors who are reference in the subject, using the databases of Scholar Google and Scielo. It is possible to state that the construction of a compost bin aims to dispose of organic waste from the hospital, in areas that do not pose a risk of contamination of this material by microorganisms that pose a risk to the environment or human beings and should use organic waste from cafeterias and snack bars. These residues pass by the natural process of decomposition (nutrient cycling) so that the final product is an organic compound that can be used in hospital gardens and generate a lower cost for their maintenance, in addition to reducing the use of fertilizers that are potential environmental polluters. Another important factor is the decrease in the occurrence of insects, as they are naturally attracted to areas with the presence of organic matter. Thus, by separating these residues at the generation sites, and directing them to composters, results in a reduction in the occurrence of pests in the entire hospital area and maintaining a safe environment for patients and employees. It can be concluded that the construction of a program for the reuse of food that is not consumed is important to improve the vision of sustainability in hospitals, making it possible to apply composting in different places, as part of waste management, reducing thus the environmental impact caused by these residues due to the generation and disposal of waste.

Keywords: Sustainability in hospitals. Organic Waste. Composters. Nutrient cycling.