Health-Care Waste Management

Bijendra Raya
Medical Technologist
GENETUP
 Contents:
Health care waste: Introduction
Classification of health care waste:
WHO classification
Nepal Classification
Health care waste management
Identification
Risk associated with different health care
waste.
Treatment and Disposal
 Health Care Waste
• All the waste produced in the facility
pertaining to medical activities will be
considered as health care waste (HCW).
• The medical activities can be :
Diagnosis, prevention, curative and palliative
treatments for human being.
Research pertaining to above activities.
Production or testing of biological.
 Waste Generation
 WHO:
20% hazardous waste,
 80% non hazardous waste.
 Nepal ( Ministry of Health)
26% hazardous Waste
74% Non hazardousWaste

 HCW generation is 1.7 Kg/person/day.

Waste Categories Description Examples

1.General Waste office paper, wrapper, kitchen waste, general

No risk to human health sweeping etc.

2.Pathological Waste Human Tissue or fluid. Body parts, blood, body fluids etc

3.Sharps Sharp waste Needle, scalpels, knives, blades etc.

4.Infectious waste Which may transmit Laboratory culture, tissues(swabs)bandage

bacterial, viral or parasitic disease to human etc.
being, waste suspected to contain
Pathogen.
5.Chemical waste Laboratory reagents, disinfectants, Film
Developer

6.Radio-active waste Unused liquid from radiotherapy or

lab research, contaminated glass-wares
etc.
In Nepalese context, If international classification could not be followed, then
classification based on the health care waste management guidelines 2014
shall be followed which classifies HCW as:
Non Risk
Biodegradable
Non degradable
Risk
Pathological waste
Infectious waste
Sharps
Cytotoxic waste.
Pharmaceutical waste
Other hazardous waste.
Routes of Transmission
Risk Group
Waste management
 Waste Management
• Waste minimization
• Waste segregation
• Waste collection and storage
• Waste transportation
• Waste treatment and disposal
 Waste Management
• Waste Minimization
 Waste Management
Waste segregation

Waste Category, symbol and Labeling Color code for Example of Wastes
container

Non Risk Health care Non risk waste Green Leftover stuff foods,
waste (Biodegradable) gardens, fruits, peels,
flowers etc

Non- Risk waste Dark Blue Non biodegradable,

Recyclable which can be recycled:
plastic bottles,
cans,metals, glass

Other non Risk HCW LIght Blue Other hcw, that do not
belongs to
biodegradable and
recyclable.
Waste Category, symbol and Labeling Color code for Example of Wastes
container
HCW requiring special Pathological waste Red Human body parts,
attention organs, human tissues,
sputum, amputated
parts
Hazardous sharps Red Needles, glasses,
syringes with fixed
needles, scalpels,
blades etc
Pharmaceutical waste Red Unused and date
expired drugs

Infectious and highly Hazardous infectious Brown Infected cotton ,

infectious waste waste dressing materials, solid
plasters, swabs, gloves
bandages, contaminated
bloods etc
Highly infectious waste Brown Lab waste such as Tb
lab, culture waste
• Waste collection, storage and transport
• Waste treatment and Disposal
Waste Treatment and Disposal
• The methods for treatment and disposal of
HCWs depend on specific factors
applicable to the HCF