ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the issue of hospital waste management. Most hospitals segregate their medical wastes prior to treatment and disposal. However, most hospitals do segregate all medical waste categories from one another, although certain wastes, most often sharps, cultures, and stock, are segregated from other medical wastes prior to treatment or disposal. Some remedial steps that can be taken include the following: Most hospitals have comprehensive and sound policies on solid waste management, including specific directives on segregation and special handling of hazardous materials. Employees fail to make the right judgments consistently, and stricter supervision is needed to ensure that employees maintain proper handling and disposal of pathological and sharp wastes, separate disposable wastes from reusable wastes such as dinnerware and linens, bag materials properly, and deposit chute materials promptly. The location of these wastes includes laboratories, X-ray facilities, surgical departments, pharmacies, emergency rooms, offices, and service areas.
