|
Health-Care Waste Generation
Health-care waste generation differs from country to country and within the country. Waste generation depends on
- established waste management methods,
- type of health care establishment,
- hospital specializations,
- proportion of reusable items employed in health-care,
- proportion of patients treated on day-care basis.
An estimate of average distribution of health-care wastes in developing countries:
| Sl. No.
|
Waste generated
|
Amount
|
|
1
|
General health-care waste
|
80 %
|
|
2
|
Pathological and infectious waste
|
15 %
|
|
3
|
Sharps
|
1
|
|
4
|
Chemical and pharmacological waste
|
3
|
|
5
|
Radioactive or cytotoxic waste, pressurized containers, broken thermometers and used batteries
|
1
|
Average composition of hospital wastes in India during 1993-1996
| Sl. No.
|
Waste generated
|
Amount (%)
|
|
1
|
Paper
|
15
|
|
2
|
Plastics
|
10
|
|
3
|
Rags
|
15
|
|
4
|
Metals, Sharps etc,
|
1
|
|
5
|
Infectious wastes
|
1.5
|
|
6
|
Glass
|
4
|
|
7
|
General waste (food, sweepings from hospital premises etc,)
|
53.5
|
Hazards of health-care waste
All individuals exposed to such hazardous health-care waste are potentially at risk. The main groups at risk are:
- medical doctors, nurses, health-care auxiliaries and hospital maintenance personnel;
- patients in health-care establishments;
- visitors to health-care establishments;
- workers in support service; and
- workers in waste disposal
- Hazards from infectious waste and sharps
Pathogens in infectious waste may enter the human body through a puncture, abrasion or cut in the skin through mucous membrane, by inhalation or by ingestion.
- Hazards from chemical and pharmaceutical waste
Many of the chemicals and pharmaceuticals used in health-care establishments are toxic, genotoxic, corrosive, flammable, reactive, explosive or shock-sensitive. Although present in small quantity; they may cause intoxication either by acute or chronic exposure and injuries including burns.
- Hazards from genotoxic waste
Toxicity of the substance, the extent and duration of exposure will determine the severity of hazards. Exposure may occur during the preparation or treatment with particular drug or chemical. The main pathway of exposure is inhalation of dust or aerosols, absorption through the skin, ingestion of food accidentally contaminated with cytotoxic drugs, chemicals or wastes etc.
- Hazards from radioactive waste
The type of disease caused by radioactive waste is determined by the type and extent of exposure. It can range from headache, dizziness and vomiting to much more serious problems like involvement of genetic material.
- Public sensitivity
Apart from health hazards the general public is very sensitive to visual impact of health-care waste particularly anatomical waste.
|
Participants