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CHAPTER 8

Health Hazards of Medical Waste

and its Disposal

K.K. Padmanabhan*, Debabrata Barik †
* Department of Automobile Engineering, Karpagam Academy of Higher Education, Coimbatore, India
† Department of Mechanical Engineering, Karpagam Academy of Higher Education, Coimbatore, India

8.1 INTRODUCTION
“Health care activities lead to the production of waste that may lead to
adverse health effects. Most of this waste is not more dangerous than reg-
ular household waste. However, some types of health-care waste represent
a higher risk to health. These include infectious waste (15%–25% of total
health-care waste), among which are sharps waste (1%), body part waste
(1%), chemical or pharmaceutical waste (3%), and radioactive and cytotoxic
waste or broken thermometers (less than 1%).”
The purpose of this document is to inform the reader about different
technology options for the treatment of infectious medical waste, particularly
for developing countries. It describes incerneration, chemical treatment, au-
toclaving, microwaving, and shredding/compacting. Performance issues, en-
vironmental impact, and perspectives from several developing countries are
described. In seeking effective solutions for the disposal of medical wastes in
developing-world health-care settings, it is necessary to design and build a
sustainable system for managing medical waste. All approaches to the man-
agement of medical waste must consider the environmental, financial, and
technical feasibility of treatment and disposal technologies in the context
of the following requirements: (1) Resolve the most critical factors first:
Needle-stick injuries and exposure to pathogens. (2) Identify affordable and
cost-effective solutions in each specific health-care situation. (3) Consider
technical feasibility within the existing health and sanitation infrastructure.
(4) Prioritize best environmental practices, considering local infrastructure.

8.2 FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF A WASTE
MANAGEMENT PROGRAM

The hospital project manager has the overall responsibility of ensuring that
the hospital wastes are managed in compliance with national legislation and
international conventions.

Energy from Toxic Organic Waste for Heat and Power Generation © 2019 Elsevier Ltd.
https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-08-102528-4.00008-0 All rights reserved. 99