Health-care waste

a) Types of health-care waste

Hospital waste: Waste coming out of clinical cares activities of hospitals
(usually
80% non hazardous, 15-20% infectious waste and 5% non
infectious but hazardous)

Hazardous waste: Waste that has potential to threat on to human health and life.
In
health care facilities it refers to chemicals such cytotoxic
drugs,
incinerator ash and radioactive elements constitute hazardous
waste

Non hazardous waste: Waste containing domestic substances such as paper,

and this usually account for 80% of hospital
waste

Chemical waste: Waste containing chemical substances such as laboratory

reagents, film developer, expired disinfectants or those, which
are no longer needed

Clinical waste: Waste coming out of medical care provided in hospitals or

health
care facilities such as medical plastic, soiled dressings,
expired medicines, liquid waste containers, handling
mercury, infected linen, and placenta

Genotoxic waste: Waste containing properties of genotoxic chemicals and

cytotoxic drugs (used in cancer therapy)

Infectious waste: Waste suspected to contain pathogens such as laboratory

cultures,
waste from isolation wards, tissues/swabs, and equipment
that
contact with infected patients (usually account for
 15-20% hospital waste)

Pathological waste: Waste-containing human tissues or fluids such as body

parts,
blood and other body fluids, sharps (needles, infusion sets,
scalpels, knives, blades and broken glass)
Pharmaceutical waste: Waste-containing pharmaceuticals such as expired drugs
and those in excess and items contaminated or containing
pharmaceuticals (bottles and boxes)
Pressurized containers: Gas cylinders, gas cartridges and aerosol cans
Radioactive waste: Waste containing radioactive substances such as unused
liquids
from radiotherapy or laboratory research, contaminated
kages, absorbent paper, saws, urine, vomit and excreta from
patients treated with unsealed radio nuclides and sealed
sources
Radioactive materials: Includes: unused liquids from radiotherapy or laboratory
research;
contaminated glassware, packages or absorbent paper; urine
and excreta from patients treated or tested with unsealed
radionuclides; sealed sources.
Sharps: Sharp waste such as needles, infusion sets, scalpels, knives,
blades and
broken glass
Waste with high content of heavy metals: Waste inclusive of batteries, broken
thermometers and blood-pressure gauges

*Safe Management of Wastes from Health-Care Activities,

WHO, 1999