2.2. Questionnaires and on-site visits
A questionnaire was sent to each selected medical establishment by mail from July to September 2003, to collect information on waste generation over the previous 12 months. The project team members made on-site visits from October to December 2003 with the returned questionnaire to confirm the provided information, waste management system, waste segregation and separation practices, waste reduction and recycling, and disposal methods (disinfection and incineration) and other operational conditions. The hot spots for the on-site checkup were inpatient rooms, nursing stations, labs, dialysis rooms, radiology rooms, waste disinfection equipment and waste storage, handling and treatment. We also verified the questionnaire data against the waste management records of the medical establishment.