Dangers of Burning Medical Waste

With medical waste being composed of 25 percent plastic, burning them is never the ideal option. It has a lot more dangers and risks that outweigh any possible good that could come out of it.

Here are some dangers of burning medical waste:

•    Pollutes the environment
•    Releases hazardous metals like mercury and lead
•    Releases pollutants that are highly toxic such as dioxins
•    Increases exposure to volatile organic compounds
•    Could result to frequent inhalation of smoke leading to health problems such as coughing, skin conditions, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, throat irritation, and asthma

Dioxins, in particular, are extremely poisonous and can break down slowly in our bodies and in our environment. These compounds can cause different severe health issues such as liver and endocrine damage, birth defects, cancer, and infertility.

The Environmental Protection Agency reported that most of the dioxin emissions come from burning medical waste. This is why the World Health Organization discourages the act altogether.

Conclusion

There are many other ways to reduce and dispose of medical waste without having to resort to incineration. Some healthcare facilities have implemented different programs to safely dispose of their trash. Not to mention, there are medical devices that can be safely recycled instead.
With more people becoming aware of these dangers, the risks of improper medical waste management can be properly managed.