Wast Mangment Flashcards
(28 cards)
What is medical waste?
All waste produced in healthcare or diagnostic activities.
On average, how much waste is produced per patient per day in hospitals?
1.5 to 3 kg of waste per patient per day.
What percentage of hospital waste is similar to household refuse or municipal waste?
75-90%.
What percentage of hospital waste is classified as hazardous medical waste?
10-25%.
What is the major health risk associated with hazardous medical waste?
It can lead to contamination and infection.
How many main types of hazardous medical waste are there?
Five main types.
What is Category 1 hazardous medical waste?
Trauma Risk: Sharps entailing risk of injury.
What types of waste fall under Category 2 (Infection Risk)?
- Waste containing secretions or excretions
- Anatomical waste
- Infectious waste.
What does infectious waste include?
- Large quantities of material or substances
- Cultures of infectious agents.
- Waste from infectious patients in isolation wards.
What is included in Category 3 (Chemical Risk) hazardous medical waste?
- Pharmaceutical waste
- Cytotoxic waste
- Waste containing heavy metals
- Chemical waste.
What types of items are classified under pharmaceutical waste?
- Spilled or unused medicines
- Expired drugs
- Unused medication receptacles.
What is an example of Category 4 (Fire or Explosion Risk) waste?
Pressurized containers like gas cylinders and aerosol cans.
What constitutes Category 5 (Radioactivity Risk) hazardous waste?
Radioactive waste from laboratories or nuclear medicine.
Who is at risk when handling hazardous medical waste?
- Patients & visitors
- Providers
- Technical & logistic personnel
- Off-site transport personnel
- Personnel in processing/disposal infrastructures
- The general population.
What is the purpose of waste management regulations?
To ensure public health, environmental protection, and safe management of hazardous wastes.
Name one convention related to hazardous waste management.
- Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal.
What are three key preconditions for effective waste management?
- Good organization
- Sufficient funding
- Active participation of informed and trained personnel.
What is necessary to establish for effective waste management in hospitals?
A waste management group.
Who should be included in the waste management team?
- Hospital project manager
- Water and habitat engineer
- Local waste manager
- Hospital staff members such as head nurse, head of radiology, chief pharmacist, head of laboratory.
What is the responsibility of the entity that produces waste?
To manage waste as close as possible to the site where it is produced.
What type of container is used for Type 0 (Household Refuse) waste?
Plastic bag.
What color coding is used for Type 1 (Sharps) waste?
Yellow.
What type of container is used for Type 2 (Infection Risk) waste?
Plastic bag or container.
For Type 3 (Chemical and Pharmaceutical Waste), what color coding is used?
Brown.
