Aafrin Kidwai 
A group of IIT Delhi researchers have designed a decision-making framework integrated with mathematical model to help hospitals identify medical waste disposal firms that can dispose hazardous and infectious healthcare waste in a sustainable manner.
The study identifies ten key success factors based on exhaustive literature and field surveys, including:
1. Manpower of a particular outsourcing firm;
2. Cases filed in a court of law against the HCW outsourcing firm;
3. The cost of providing services by an outsourcing firm to a particular hospital;
4. The reputation of existing clients of HCW outsourcing firm;
5. Number of years for which an outsourcing firm has been functional;
6. The technology available with an outsourcing firm for disposal and recycling of HCW;
7. HCW collection instruments and vehicles available with outsourcing firm;
8. Training and awareness programs about HCW provided to housekeeping staff and patients;
9. Capacity planning for recycling of HCW collected by outsourcing firm;
10. Risk associated with the handling and disposal of HCW.
The research paper titled ‘Selection of Healthcare Waste Disposal Firms Using a Multi-Method Approach’ has been published in the Journal of Environmental Management.
The study undermines the ‘Cost factor’ as the only determining criterion for the selection of HCW disposal firms.
