Waste Management In Health Industry

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Waste Management in Health Industry
Medical care is vital for our life, health and well-being. But the waste generated from medical activities can be hazardous, toxic and even lethal because of their high potential for diseases transmission. The hazardous and toxic parts of waste from various health care establishments comprising infectious, bio-medical and radioactive material as well as sharps (hypodermic needles, knives, scalpels etc.) constitute a great risk, if these are not properly treated or disposed or are allowed to be mixed with other municipal waste. Such waste called as biomedical waste can be defined as waste generated during the diagnosis, testing, treatment, research or production of biological products for humans or animals. …show more content…

Incineration involves a process of burning the waste at high temperature and for treating hospital waste three types of incinerators can be used namely multiple hearth type, rotary kiln and controlled air types. Autoclaves can be used for steam sterilization of waste at temperature of 121 degree C and steam pressure of 15 psi for 60-90 minutes and the types include Gravity type, Pre-vacuum type and Retort type. Hydroclave is an innovative equipment for steam sterilisation process in which the steam is injected into the outer jacket to heat the inner chamber containing the waste and moisture contained in the waste evaporates as steam and builds up the requisite steam pressure (35-36psi). This technology has benefits such as absence of harmful air emissions, absence of liquid discharges, non requirement of chemicals, reduced volume and weight of waste. Microwave is a wet thermal disinfection technology.The input material is first put through a shredder and the shredded material is pushed to a treatment chamber where it is moistened with high temperature steam. The material is then carried by a screw conveyor beneath a series of conventional microwave generators, which heat the material and uniformly disinfects the material. Chemical treatment involves the use of chemicals such as at 1% hypochlorite solution or other equivalent chemical reagents such as phenolic compounds, iodine, hexachlorophene,iodine-alcohol or formaldehyde-alcohol combination for disinfection. Preshredding of the waste is desirable for better contact with the waste material. Sanitary and secured landfilling becomes a necessity for deep burial of human anatomical waste, animal waste when the facility of proper incineration is not available, for disposal of autoclaved, hydroclaved, microwaved waste, disposal of

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