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Metal explants from orthopedic surgical therapy are classified as solid waste with a potential risk for contamination. Objective: To analyze the literature on how environmental management occurs in hospitals through the disposal of waste from orthopedic metallic explants. Methodology: This research was an applied, practical, quantitative, experimental, exploratory, empirical, and cross-sectional study with the investigative objective of confirming the hypotheses. The research was carried out in all Brazilian States, in public and private hospitals considered as references for the treatment of orthopedics and traumatology. Three distinct groups were compared: Brazilian hospitals certified by ISO 14 001; hospitals with ONA accreditation with a level of excellence; and non-certified hospitals, using the inductive method. Main findings: The explants must be registered and controlled in order to be recycled, which is a step included in the health waste management plan (PGRSS). However, their final destination is a large-scale problem due to obstacles in law application created by economic issues. When it comes to the recycling of surgical explants, stainless steel can be completely reused, for instance. Main conclusions: In Brazil, there are limited data regarding the number of generators or the amount of waste produced from health services, and, additionally, explants are improperly discarded as sharps waste. |
