Waste Cost Assessment Framework (WCAF) v2.0 for Laboratory Waste Management
Developed through a collaboration between Roche, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the African Society for Laboratory Medicine (ASLM), the Waste Cost Assessment Framework (WCAF) v2.0 provides a practical, web-based solution to strengthen laboratory waste management across Africa.The tool enables countries to quantify, budget, and plan for the safe and sustainable management of waste
generated from diagnostic platforms, including HIV, TB, HPV, HBV, HCV, and SARS-CoV-2 testing. By supporting the management of hazardous laboratory waste—including GTC-containing liquid waste—WCAFv2.0 advances biosafety, biosecurity, environmental sustainability, and cost-effective laboratory operations. Already implemented in several African countries, the framework supports national efforts to strengthen laboratory systems, improve waste management planning, and build resilient diagnostic services that contribute to health security and quality patient care.
Learn more here and Watch the Waste Management ECHO session Launch here.
Looking Ahead
ASLM2026 in CapeTown
ASLM’s biennial conference returns to Cape Town, South Africa, 8-11 December 2026. ASLM2026 offers the opportunity to hear from world-renowned experts on infectious disease control and public health from Africa and across the globe. This year’s theme is ‘Integrated Diagnostics for Health Security: Investing in Sustainable Impact’. Learn more and register at https://aslm2026.org/registration/
Upcoming ECHO sessions
Some exciting LabCoP ECHO Sessions are scheduled in the coming weeks, focusing on strengthening patient-centred diagnostics and resilient laboratory systems across Africa. Topics include optimizing cryptococcal screening for people with Advanced HIV Disease (AHD), the Sample Management Framework, early lessons learned from implementation of Near Point-of-Care (NPOC) testing in CHAI-supported countries, and building the case for a multisectoral approach to tuberculosis control. These sessions provide opportunities to explore practical solutions and share experiences from across
the continent. If you missed earlier webinars, you can catch up in the LabCoP ECHO archive here.