4.5. Transportation
According to Act 380, Nanjing has constructed a central disposal system for medical waste. The hospitals have the responsibility for providing on-site transport of medical waste, while off-site transport to the final disposal site is handled by disposal companies. These companies are also in charge of the final disposal of medical waste in Nanjing. Medical waste is transported through pre-established routes, which include specific corridors and elevators on each floor, and are strictly used to transport waste from the intermediate storerooms to the final storerooms in the basement of the hospital (Askarian et al., 2004). The disposal companies arrange for special trucks to collect medical waste from various hospitals once every 1–2 days. Commonly, the off-transport times are determined by the transport distances and the quantity of medical waste. According to scientific standards, infectious waste in tropical areas can be kept in a temporary storage area for 24 h during the hot season and up to 48 h in cooler seasons (Prüess et al., 1999). The schedule for collection of medical waste by the disposal company was often uncertain, which creates a more complex problem for these hospitals.