Health Care Waste Management: Challenges and Solutions

Abstract

Limited attention has been paid to health-care waste management despite an increase in public concern about the management of such waste on a global basis. The objective of this study was to analyse the issues and challenges of health-care waste management as well as possible solutions. It is estimated that about 50% of the world’s population is at particular risk from improperly treated health-care waste. In most countries wastes from hospitals and other health-related facilities are not required to be treated to remove the thousands of high-volume health-care chemicals. Incomplete removal can lead to formation of transformation products which in some cases may be more toxic than the parent compounds. Uptake of contaminants by earthworms and plants may contribute to biomagnification in terrestrial food web, and thus, their food-chain effects need attention. Humans can be exposed to chemicals through the consumption of contaminated water and food. Stewardship and green pharmacy have the potential to deliver positive environmental health. The whole life cycle of a compound or health-care product has to be considered when making risk management and risk reduction decisions. Such life-cycle assessment can be made by various stakeholders in the health-care chain, including manufacturers, doctors, pharmacists, and patients.