HOSPITAL WASTE MANAGEMENT.pdf Masters in environmental Science

It contains a brief note on hospital waste management. It includes introduction, various methods of hospital waste management and many important parts included in hospital waste management

1. By: JYOTI
Roll NO. 2508
MSc. 1
st
year
Environmental Science
Subject: Solid Waste Management

2. •Titleand Content Layout
Definition
Sources
Why Bio-medical Waste needs Management?
Classification
Hazardous
Non-hazardous
Categories of Person Exposed to Risk of Infection.
Steps in the Management of Hospital Waste.
Challenges in Hospital Waste Management.
Safety Measures in the Hospital Waste Management.

3. Definition of Hospital Waste
Hospital waste i.e Biomedical waste, means any waste
generated during diagnosis, treatment, immunization of
Human beings and Animals or research activities .
Examples:
Used syringes and Needles.
Contaminated gloves and Bandages.
Expired medicines.
Laboratory Waste.

4. Sources
of
Hospital
Waste
Autopsy
Centres
Blood
banks
Testing
Labs
Reasearch
Centres
Animal
Reasearch
Hospitals
Mortuaries

5. Why Bio-medical waste needs Management?
➢To prevent spread of infection and disease to healthcare
workers, patients and the public.
➢To avoid environmental pollution caused by improper
disposal of Harmful waste.
➢To protect animals and the community from Contaminated
waste.
➢To maintain cleanliness and hygiene in hospitals.
➢To prevent reuse of contaminated medical items.

6. Classification of Hospital Waste
Hospital waste , also called biomedical or
healthcare waste, is the waste produced
during diagnosis, treatment or research
activities in hospital, clinics and laboratories.
It contains both hazardous and non-hazardous
waste and must be carefully managed to
prevent infection and pollution.

7. Hospital waste is broadly divided into 2 main
categories i.e Hazardous and Non-hazardous.
1.HAZARDOUS WASTE
Waste that can cause infection, injury, or
pollution due to biological, chemical, or
radioactive materials.
About 15-25%---needs special treatment
and disposal to prevent infection and
pollution.
Examples: Infectious waste
Pathological waste
Pharmaceutical waste
Genotoxic waste
Sharp waste
2. NON-HAZARDOUS WASTE
Waste that poses no risk to health or the
environment and resembles domestic
waste.
About 75-85%---general waste similar to
household trash.
Examples: Paper and Packaging
Food waste
General Office waste
Plastic wrappers

8. Hazardous Waste
Infectious Waste
This includes any material contaminated with
bacteria, viruses, or others diseases causing
organisms.
Examples: Dressing, Cotton swabs,
Bandages, Waste from isolation ward,
Laboratory culture.
Hazard: Risk of infection or diseases
transmission.

9. Pathological Waste
It includes human body parts,
tissues, blood and the other body
fluids removed during surgery or
autopsy.
It is considered as a high-risk
category of biohazard waste that
must be handled carefully.
Hazard: Infection and Odour
nuisance.

10. Pharmaceutical Waste
It includes expired, unused or
contaminated drugs and
medicines.

Examples: Tablets, antibiotics
vials, injection bottles and cream
tubes.
Hazard: Drug contamination,
antibiotic resistant.

11. Genotoxic Waste
Highly hazardous waste
containing substances that can
cause genetic damage,
mutations, or cancer.
Examples: Cytotoxic drugs and
Genotoxic chemicals used in
chemotherapy.

12. Waste with Heavy Metals
Includes materials with high metal content that
can be toxic to human and the environment.
Examples: Broken thermometers, blood
pressure gauges with mercury and batteries.
Hazard: Toxic to human, pollutes soil and
water, produces toxic fumes if burned.

13. Non-Hazardous Waste/General Waste
Non-hazardous Waste is the safe, general waste produced in hospitals
that does not pose any risk of infection, toxicity or radiation.
It is similar to household waste and can be disposed of through the
municipal system.
Examples:
Paper, cardboard, packaging materials,
Food leftovers from cafeteria,
Plastic bottles, wrappers,
Office and administrative waste.
NOTE: Though non-hazardous, it should always be kept separate from
biomedical waste to avoid contamination.

14. Categories of Person Exposed to Risk
MEDICAL STAFF
•Doctors and Nurses
•Lab Technicians
NON-MEDICAL STAFF
•Housekeeping Staff
•Waste Handlers
•Patients and Visitors
•Maintenance Workers

15. Steps in Hospital Waste Management
Segregation
Collection&
Storage
Transportation
Treatment&
Disposal

16. Segregation
DEFINITION
Segregation is the process of separating different types of
Hospital waste at the point of generation prevent from
mixing hazardous and non–hazardous waste.
PURPOSE
To ensure safe handling, disposal of waste and reduce
the risk of infection.
METHOD
Waste is sorted into colour-coded bins or bags according
to type.

17. Colour coding of Hospital Waste

18. COLOUR OF
BINS/BAGS
Yellow
Red
White
Blue
Black
Green
TYPE OF WASTE
Infectious and Pathological waste.
Examples: bandages, Anatomical waste, body parts, tissues, cotton
swabs, cytotoxic drugs and their residues.
All infected plastic, rubber recyclable waste.
Examples: Tubes, IV sets, gloves, blood bags
Sharp wastes including needles, scalpels, blades, syringes with
needles
Glassware and metallic waste
Examples: broken glass, vials, ampoules, metallic implants
General/non-infectious waste
Examples: cardboard, packaging material, wrappers, food waste.
General or biodegradable waste

19. Collection & Storage
Collection is the process of gathering waste from various hospital areas
such as wards, laboratories, operation theatre, and outpatient
departments.
Steps Involved in collection:
1.Use of color-coded containers: Waste from different sources is placed in
correctly labelled bins or bag.
2.Sealing of bags: Bags are tightly sealed to prevent spillage or leakage.
3.Internal collection: Sealed bags are collected daily by trained staff using
trolleys for safe handling.
4.Transfer to Storage area: Collected waste is transferred to a designated
central storage.

20. Storage is the process of keeping the collected waste in a
designated area within the hospital until it is transported for final
treatment or disposal.
Steps involved in storage:
1.Designated Area: Waste is stored in a secured, well-ventilated
and easily accessible area within the hospital.
2.Time Limit: Biomedical waste should not be stored for more than
48 hours to avoid decomposition and odour.
3.Safety Measures: Storage area should have warning signs
{“BIOHAZARD”}.
4.Record Keeping: Details of quantity, type, and date of collection
are maintained for monitoring and reporting.

21. Transportation
Transportation is the process of moving waste from the point of
storage to the treatment or disposal site safely and efficiently.

Steps involved in transportation:
1.Uses of Dedicated Trolleys/Vehicles: Waste is transported using
designed, leak-proof and easy-to-clean vehicles.
2.Segregation Maintenance: Waste from different categories is
transported separately to avoid mixing.
3.Route & timing : Specific routes and schedule are followed to
minimize exposure to patients and staff.
4.Cleaning of Vehicles; Vehicles are cleaned and disinfected after
every use to maintain hygiene and prevent contamination.

22. Treatment & Disposal
Treatment is the process of rendering hospital waste harmless by
destroying or reducing its infectious and hazardous properties before
final disposal.
Steps involved in treatments:
1.Autoclaving
2.Microwaving
3.Chemical Disinfection
4.Incineration
5.Shredding(Post-treatment)

23. 1. Autoclaving
It is a steam-based disinfection process used to sterilize and treat
infectious biomedical waste.
It works under moist heat under pressure to destroy microorganisms,
including bacteria, viruses, and spores.
After treatment, waste becomes non-infectious and can be safely
disposed of.
Used for:
Microbiological and laboratory waste,
Soiled items, dressings, and plastic items(not suitable for anatomical
waste)

24. 2. Microwaving
It is a treatment method that uses microwave energy to
disinfect hospital waste. In this process, waste is first shredded
and then exposed to microwave at around 95-100°C for 30-45
minutes.
Moist heat and steam generated by microwave to kill
pathogens by denaturing their proteins.
Used for:
Soiled waste, microbiological waste and lab cultures(not
suitable for anatomical and metallic waste).

25. 3. Chemical Disinfection
Chemical disinfection uses liquid chemicals to kill or inactive pathogens in
hospital waste, especially in liquid and microbiological waste. In this
process, waste is immersed in disinfectant solution for a specific time.
After disinfection, liquid waste can be safely discharged into sewer
system.
Common Chemicals Used:
1-2% Sodium hypochlorite(bleach)
Glutaraldehyde
Hydrogen peroxide
Used For: Liquid waste from labs, body fluids and hospital cleaning.

26. 4. Incineration
Incineration is a high temperature process that burns hospital
waste to ash, gases and heat, effectively destroying pathogens
and reducing waste volume by up to 90%.
Waste is burned in a controlled furnaces at temperature b/w
800°C and 1200°C, ensuring complete destruction of infectious
and hazardous waste.
Used For: Human anatomical waste,
Expired or discarded medicines,
Cytotoxic drugs.

27. 5. Shredding(Post-Treatment)
It is a mechanical process that cuts or grinds treated biomedical waste
into small, unrecognizable pieces after disinfection or sterilization.
Purpose:
To prevent reuse of treated waste items such as syringes, IV sets, and
plastics.
To reduce the volume of waste for easier handling, transport, and
disposal.
Use For:
Plastic waste after autoclaving or microwaving.
Paper, cardboard, and packaging materials.

28. Disposal is the final step in hospital waste management
where treated waste is safely discarded to prevent harm to
people and the environment.
PROCESS:
1. Waste is disposed of only after proper
treatment(autoclaving, incineration etc.)
2. Non-infectious waste is sent to municipal landfills.
3. Recyclable waste (like plastics or metals) are sent to
authorized recyclers.
4. Ash and residues from incineration are buried in secured
landfills.

29. Challenges in Hospital Waste
Management
➢Lack of Awareness and staff training
➢Improper segregation- mixing of hazardous and non-
hazardous waste.
➢Shortage of color-coded bins, and waste storage areas.
➢Lack of proper equipment like incineration and autoclaves
in small hospitals.
➢Weak regulation and supervisions by authorities.
➢Unsafe disposal and burning of waste causes air, water,
and soil contamination.

30. Safety Measures in Hospital Waste
Management
➢Staff should be trained in segregation, Handling and disposal of
waste.
➢Use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs)- Gloves, masks,
aprons etc.
➢Follow strict color-coding segregation for different types of waste.
➢Used closed trolleys and leak-proof containers to avoid spillage
and exposure.
➢Regular cleaning and disinfection of bins, containers and storage
areas.
➢Maintain logs of waste generation, treatment, and disposal.

31. “Safe management of Hospital Waste
means safe healthcare for all.”
Thank You.