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Health-care waste

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Health-care activities protect and restore health and save lives. But what about the waste and by-products they generate? Of the total amount of waste generated by health-care activities, about 85% is general, non-hazardous waste comparable to domestic waste. The remaining 15% is considered hazardous material that may be infectious, chemical or radioactive. Waste and by-products cover a diverse range of materials, as the following list illustrates: The major sources of health-care waste are: High-income countries generate on average up to 0.5 kg of hazardous waste per hospital bed per day; while low-income countries generate on average 0.2 kg. However, health-care waste is often not separated into hazardous or non-hazardous wastes in low-income countries making the real quantity of hazardous waste much higher. Health-care waste contains potentially harmful microorganisms that can infect hospital patients, health workers and the general public. Other potential hazards may include drug-r

Key facts Of the total amount of waste generated by health-care activities, about 85% is general, non-hazardous waste. The remaining 15% is considered hazardous material that may be infectious, toxic, carcinogen, flammable, corrosive, reactive, explosive or radioactive. Every year an estimated 16 billion injections are administered worldwide, but not all the needles and syringes are properly disposed of afterwards. Open burning and low-temperature incineration of health care wastes can, under some circumstances, result in the emission of dioxins, furans and particulate matter. Overview Health-

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