ABSTRACT
“Biomedical waste” (BMW) means any waste generated during treatment, diagnosis, or immunization of human beings or animals; management of healthcare waste is an integral part of infection control and hygiene programs in healthcare settings. BMW can cause problems by contaminating the surrounding environments or by causing diseases, which may spread by direct contact or vector-borne infections and even through inanimate objects. The improper and ineffective treatment of BMW results in the contamination of the environment leading to environmental and health hazards. In health care waste management, safe transportation of properly segregated waste within the healthcare facility is of greatest importance. Human anatomical waste and animal waste consisting of human tissues, organs, and body parts must be incinerated in a BMW incinerator or destroyed in a crematorium incinerator. Chemical disinfection, primarily with chlorine compounds, kills microorganisms in medical waste and can sometimes oxidize hazardous chemical constituents such as 1% hypochlorite solution can be used for chemical disinfection.
