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Health Care
Waste
Health workers do their best to help people stay healthy. But if waste from
health care is not handled safely, it can spread illness to the health workers and
the surrounding community.
Health care waste includes waste from clinics, hospitals, laboratories, blood
banks, dental clinics, birth centers and animal hospitals. It also includes waste
from vaccination programs (also called immunization campaigns) and medical
aid missions, and waste produced from caring for the sick at home.
Most waste from health care is ordinary waste like paper, cardboard, and
food scraps. But some health care waste is contaminated with blood or body
fluids that may carry harmful germs and spread disease. Used needles and
other sharp tools (sharps) can cause injury and spread disease. Some health
care waste, such as plastics, contain toxic chemicals. When waste that carries
harmful germs or toxic chemicals is mixed with ordinary waste, the mixed
waste becomes a threat to all who handle it. That is why separation of waste
in the place where it is created is so important.
Safe handling of health care waste uses the same basic methods used to
dispose of other solid wastes (see Chapter 18). But wastes contaminated with
body fluids and germs must be disinfected and disposed of in ways that protect
the health of people and the environment.