Обзорная статья

Hospital waste management in Germany and the European Union during the Industry 5.0 era for carbon neutrality by 2050: A critical review

Kai Chen GohFaculty of Technology Management, and Business, Department of Construction Management, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia, Parit Raja, MalaysiaTonni Agustiono KurniawanCollege of the Environment and Ecology, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, ChinaChristia MeidianaFaculty of Engineering, Department of Regional and Urban Planning, Brawijaya University, Malang, IndonesiaOdiljon AbdurakhmonovTashkent Institute of Chemical Technology, Tashkent, UzbekistanAbdelkader AnouzlaWong Hin YongFaculty of Artificial Intelligence and Engineering, Multimedia University, Cyberjaya, Selangor, MalaysiaMohammad Tariqul IslamFaculty of Engineering and Built Environment, Department of Electrical, Electronic and Systems Engineering, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi, Selangor, MalaysiaAxel Olaf KernFaculty of Social Work, Health and Nursing, Ravensburg-Weingarten University of Applied Sciences, Weingarten, GermanyFaissal AzizLaboratory of Water Sciences, Microbial Technologies and Natural Resources Sustainability, Faculty of Science Semlalia, Cadi Ayyad University, Marrakech, MoroccoChoo Wou OnnFaculty of Data Science and Information Technology, INTI International University, Nilai, Negeri Sembilan, MalaysiaMohd Hafiz Dzarfan OthmanAdvanced Membrane Technology Research Centre, Faculty of Chemical and Energy Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Skudai, Johor, MalaysiaDongdong ZhangSchool of Renewable Energy, Inner Mongolia University of Technology, Inner Mongolia, ChinaWei DaiSchool of Electrical Engineering, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi, ChinaMuhammad Azhar IqbalDepartment of Chemistry, School of Science, University of Management and Technology, Lahore, PakistanMuhammad AmjadSchool of Marine Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Shenzhen, ChinaKasim Sakran AbassUniversity of Kirkuk, Kirkuk, Iraq

Waste Management & Research The Journal for a Sustainable Circular Economyjournal2025en

ABI

Аннотация

Hospital waste management (HWM) is critical to advancing environmental sustainability, particularly as Germany and the European Union (EU) pursue carbon neutrality by 2050. This review examines the potential of Industry 5.0 technologies to transform waste management through intelligent, human-centric systems. The study adopts a mixed-methods approach, including a comprehensive literature review, site visits to five German hospitals and interviews with 20 key stakeholders such as hospital staff, policymakers and waste service providers. Germany generates an estimated 210,000 tonnes of hospital waste annually, with 25–30% classified as hazardous. However, only 17% is currently recycled or recovered. The integration of Industry 5.0 tools – Artificial Intelligence (AI)-driven sorting, robotics and Internet of Things-enabled tracking – combined with staff training and participatory design, can improve segregation accuracy by 40%, reduce landfill reliance by 35% and cut waste-related carbon emissions by 22% within 10 years. Pilot technologies such as plasma gasification and autoclaving have further reduced CO 2 emissions by 28% compared to traditional incineration. Beyond technical innovation, the study emphasizes the importance of worker involvement, ethical AI and feedback systems in fostering responsible waste practices. It also identifies policy enablers like the EU Green Deal and Germany’s Hospital Future Act, which support the digital and sustainable transformation of healthcare. The findings highlight the need for a collaborative ecosystem connecting healthcare professionals, technologists and regulators. Such synergy is essential to achieving a circular, low-carbon and socially inclusive HWM system aligned with Industry 5.0 values and climate goals.

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Темы

Healthcare and Environmental Waste Management Healthcare Facilities Design and Sustainability

Идентификаторы

DOI: 10.1177/0734242x251361726

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