10 Impact of Biomedical Waste Management System …
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related to laboratory diagnostic tests within the research centres or resulting from
the medical and research laboratories during the training of students. Health care is
indispensable for our life, however the waste produced from medical actions may be
highly toxic and hazardous and are likely responsible for disease transmission. The
waste products produced include sharps, non-sharps, blood, body parts, pharmaceuticals products, chemicals, medical outfits, radioactive substances, etc. 75–90% of
biomedical waste is non-hazardous which comprises of food remains, paper cartoons,
fruit peels, packaging materials, etc., and 10–25% is hazardous also known as risk
medical waste such as injuries to humans or animals and cause pollution to the environment [19]. It is very crucial to be aware of the fact that if both hazardous and
non-hazardous wastes are mixed the whole waste becomes harmful.
World Health Organization in 2000 had given a statement that the improper treatment of medical waste caused 21 million infections of Hepatitis B, 2 million infections of Hepatitis C and 260,000 infections of HIV each year worldwide due to very
poor waste management systems. Hospitals and other healthcare facilities, laboratories and research institutes are some of the major source of medical waste. Akter
[20] has shown that about 5.2 million people die every year from waste-related
diseases. Medical waste also contains infectious microorganisms which can infect
other patients, sanitation workers and the general public. BMWM rules introduced
on 20 July 1998, provides uniform guidelines for the entire nation. Under this law,
it is mentioned clearly that a person/ institute who is the source of generation of
biomedical waste will take the responsibility of collecting, handling and segregation
of wastes properly without causing any contrary effect to environment and human
health.
10.3.3 Inappropriate Biomedical Waste Disposal
Quantification
Medical waste can be infectious to both people and the environment causing high
contamination and cross contamination risks. Based on the references of World
Health Organization (WHO) and other guidelines medical waste must be treated
near to its source of its generation. This needs responsibility from every employee
working in the hospital who is involved in the segregation process. Suitable location and equipped waste disposal facilities can reduce the necessary transportation
of hazardous materials. There is high risk considering the transportation of biomedical waste such as illegal or inappropriate disposal (dumping and obsolete treatment technologies) by haulage personnel and accidents. In addition, transportation
of hazardous waste to the treatment centres is prohibited in some urban areas.
Dumping or landfilling of biomedical waste cause pollution to the ground water
if the site is not managed properly. Some of the various techniques used for the
disposal of biomedical waste include incineration, chemical disinfection, wet thermal
treatment also known as steam sterilization, landfill disposal, microwave irradiation,
245
related to laboratory diagnostic tests within the research centres or resulting from
the medical and research laboratories during the training of students. Health care is
indispensable for our life, however the waste produced from medical actions may be
highly toxic and hazardous and are likely responsible for disease transmission. The
waste products produced include sharps, non-sharps, blood, body parts, pharmaceuticals products, chemicals, medical outfits, radioactive substances, etc. 75–90% of
biomedical waste is non-hazardous which comprises of food remains, paper cartoons,
fruit peels, packaging materials, etc., and 10–25% is hazardous also known as risk
medical waste such as injuries to humans or animals and cause pollution to the environment [19]. It is very crucial to be aware of the fact that if both hazardous and
non-hazardous wastes are mixed the whole waste becomes harmful.
World Health Organization in 2000 had given a statement that the improper treatment of medical waste caused 21 million infections of Hepatitis B, 2 million infections of Hepatitis C and 260,000 infections of HIV each year worldwide due to very
poor waste management systems. Hospitals and other healthcare facilities, laboratories and research institutes are some of the major source of medical waste. Akter
[20] has shown that about 5.2 million people die every year from waste-related
diseases. Medical waste also contains infectious microorganisms which can infect
other patients, sanitation workers and the general public. BMWM rules introduced
on 20 July 1998, provides uniform guidelines for the entire nation. Under this law,
it is mentioned clearly that a person/ institute who is the source of generation of
biomedical waste will take the responsibility of collecting, handling and segregation
of wastes properly without causing any contrary effect to environment and human
health.
10.3.3 Inappropriate Biomedical Waste Disposal
Quantification
Medical waste can be infectious to both people and the environment causing high
contamination and cross contamination risks. Based on the references of World
Health Organization (WHO) and other guidelines medical waste must be treated
near to its source of its generation. This needs responsibility from every employee
working in the hospital who is involved in the segregation process. Suitable location and equipped waste disposal facilities can reduce the necessary transportation
of hazardous materials. There is high risk considering the transportation of biomedical waste such as illegal or inappropriate disposal (dumping and obsolete treatment technologies) by haulage personnel and accidents. In addition, transportation
of hazardous waste to the treatment centres is prohibited in some urban areas.
Dumping or landfilling of biomedical waste cause pollution to the ground water
if the site is not managed properly. Some of the various techniques used for the
disposal of biomedical waste include incineration, chemical disinfection, wet thermal
treatment also known as steam sterilization, landfill disposal, microwave irradiation,