OBJECTIVE: This paper evaluated the personnel of three public and three private hospitals in the Metro Manila area in terms of their knowledge of the (1) Hospital Waste Committee at their hospital and (2) the general guidelines of segregation and handling of hospital wastes.

METHODS: Convenience sampling was used. Nurses, medical technologists, and janitorial staff present at three private and three public tertiary hospitals in south Manila during respective data collection visits were given a self-administered questionnaire.

RESULTS: The majority of those included in the study had correct knowledge regarding the Waste Management Committee of their particular hospital but did not have enough knowledge regarding general waste management, particularly sharps waste management. The medical technologists and nurses in both private and public hospitals had about the same knowledge and awareness regarding hospital policies and sharps waste management; however, there were differences between the knowledge and awareness of private and government hospital janitorial staff. Two of the perceived problems in waste management of the hospitals were (1) the general lack of knowledge regarding waste management, specifically sharps waste and (2)the lack of hospital support in terms of provision of proper waste disposals.

CONCLUSION: Workers involved in sharps waste management-in tertiary hospitals had enough knowledge regarding the Waste Management Committee, but the respondents did not have enough knowledge regarding waste management in general and sharps waste management in particular. Problems perceived by respondents are: lack of knowledge regarding waste management and lack of hospital support.