[Ecoefficiency: a tool to reduce solid waste production and waste of materials in health care units]

The main goal of health care units is patient care. During this process, water, energy, and different materials are used, generating liquid effluents and solid waste that require adequate treatment. Although medical waste management demands increasing attention by health care units, reduction in the generation of medical solid waste has still not been set as a priority. Using ecoefficiency techniques, it is possible to demonstrate whether a company is meeting it standards for quality, procedures, environmental control, and economic efficiency. Therefore, ecoefficient companies realize both economic and environmental benefits through progressive reduction in solid waste, liquid effluents, and air emissions. This new concept requires further dissemination among health care units, since many are making efforts to improve quality of services, but still overlook the issue of waste and generate an increasing amount of solid waste. This leads not only to waste of raw materials but also additional costs for proper waste management.