In collaboration with the University of Cyprus-International Nireas Water Research Center, the Larnaca Sewerage and Drainage Board participates as a Beneficiary in T4H Project “On-site Hospital Waste Management Aiming to Improve the Performance of Sewage Treatment Facilities and Utilization” of the Cooperation Program INTERREG V-A Greece Cyprus 2014-2020.
The project is implemented in collaboration with three other (3) Beneficiaries from Greece. The Lead Partner of the project is DEYAH. The other Beneficiaries are HMU (Hellenic Mediterranean University) and the University of the Aegean.
The operation has a total transaction budget of € 999,000.00, of which 85% will be funded by the European Union (European Regional Development Fund), and the remaining 15% corresponds to national participation.
T4H aims to determine how the removal of selected micro-pollutants of emerging interest can be achieved through the on-site treatment of hospital wastewater before its disposal in the central sewer system. The project identifies the impact of innovative technologies on the quality of the final water outputs in terms of the presence of drugs, bacteria, and genes that have antibiotic resistance. Initially, a pilot system will be designed and constructed on the premises of the hospitals to evaluate them for full-scale development in the hospitals of Larnaca and Heraklion. The pilot unit includes a range of advanced physicochemical and biochemical, and advanced chemical technologies.
Antimicrobial resistance is a serious challenge, both for the EU and globally. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), antimicrobial resistance has already reached alarming levels in many parts. High levels of microbial resistance to bacteria associated with many common infections (e.g., urinary tract infections, pneumonia, tuberculosis, and gonorrhea) have been observed in all WHO regions. Antimicrobial resistance is already causing a significant social and economic burden internationally. It is estimated to be responsible for 25,000 deaths in the EU alone and 700,000 deaths a year worldwide.
The implementation of this project is an essential development in the management and treatment of hospital wastewater concerning the above problem and, in addition, gives the green light to research and development of new technologies based on the cooperation of all relevant bodies in Larnaca and Heraklion.
Special thanks are addressed to the State Health Services Organization, which through the Memorandum of Cooperation signed between the two parties, will provide space for the construction and installation of the pilot unit at Larnaca General Hospital, as well as the channeling to the Larnaca sewer system, hospital liquid waste to be treated for the project. Such actions help to promote safety and health in our place.