The Most Common Waste You Find in Hospitals
10/16/2022
Hospitals generate waste in their day-to-day operations. For the safety of the medical staff, support staff and patients, it is important for all to understand the common types of waste that can be found in hospitals.
Hospital waste is classified according to how they are generated. This is for segregation and how to safely handle and dispose of it.
What is the common type of waste you can find in hospitals?
Two broad categories of waste can be commonly found in hospitals this is general waste and medical waste.
1. General Waste
These are wastes that are not generated as a direct consequence of medical activities. They are no different from waste generated in an ordinary office. They require no specialized handling and can be dumped at landfills. These includes:
● Plastics
● Paper
● Glass
● Food
2. Medical waste
These wastes are produced directly from medical activities. Medical waste requires specialized disposal and handling because of its hazardous nature. Medical waste can be classified as:
Infectious Waste
These can also be known as pathological waste. They can infect humans with the disease when they come into contact with it. They include sharps, blood, swabs and any item that may have come into contact with bodily fluids.
Hazardous waste
While hazardous waste may not be infectious to humans, it may contain chemicals that can poison the environment.
Radioactive waste
Radioactive waste is produced by treatment procedures that require radiation. These include cancer radiotherapy, nuclear treatments and radioactive equipment such as X-Rays.
Hospitals must therefore put importance on waste disposal because of its potential effects on the environment.
Hospital waste is classified according to how they are generated. This is for segregation and how to safely handle and dispose of it.
What is the common type of waste you can find in hospitals?
Two broad categories of waste can be commonly found in hospitals this is general waste and medical waste.
1. General Waste
These are wastes that are not generated as a direct consequence of medical activities. They are no different from waste generated in an ordinary office. They require no specialized handling and can be dumped at landfills. These includes:
● Plastics
● Paper
● Glass
● Food
2. Medical waste
These wastes are produced directly from medical activities. Medical waste requires specialized disposal and handling because of its hazardous nature. Medical waste can be classified as:
Infectious Waste
These can also be known as pathological waste. They can infect humans with the disease when they come into contact with it. They include sharps, blood, swabs and any item that may have come into contact with bodily fluids.
Hazardous waste
While hazardous waste may not be infectious to humans, it may contain chemicals that can poison the environment.
Radioactive waste
Radioactive waste is produced by treatment procedures that require radiation. These include cancer radiotherapy, nuclear treatments and radioactive equipment such as X-Rays.
Hospitals must therefore put importance on waste disposal because of its potential effects on the environment.