Cuantificación de residuos asociados a la colecta y uso de sangre en Colombia

This study aimed to quantify the waste generated by the annual operation of the Colombian National Blood Network (RN). To this effect, the amount of waste generated by blood donations and by blood components obtained, transfused, and incinerated between January and December 2018 was calculated based on national reports of blood banks and transfusion services. The incineration costs (expressed in US dollars) were estimated by multiplying the total biological by the price of incinerating one kilogram in three different areas of Colombia. The generated gases were determined using the emission factors of the Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge of Spain. The non-generated waste was inferred from the total donations prevented by the Hemovigilance Information System (SIHEVI-INS) implemented in 2018. As a result, it was found that, in 2018, the RN recorded 858 890 blood donations and 334 503 transfused patients. Donor acceptance generated 61.0 megagrams/year of waste (73.4% were biological) with an incineration cost of $33 418 (±26 087) and emissions amounting to 25.8 megagrams of gases (99.2% CO2 and 0.6 % NO, NO2, and CO). The use and disposal of blood components generated 349.5 megagrams/year (±99.5), which is equivalent to $258 880 (±99,709) and 201.4 megagrams of gases. SIHEVI-INS avoided the production of 55.1 megagrams/year (±19.1), saving $40 805 (±18,098) and 31.8 megagrams of gases. In conclusion, the 350 megagrams of biological waste produced by the RN represented 0.06-0.08% of the total hazardous residues or waste generated in Colombia and 0.75-0.82% of the healthcare sector.