Healthcare Waste Report - Environment Health

INTRODUCTION
In the early 1990s, when healthcare
waste as an issue was required to
be addressed, incinerators were
perceived to be the right solution.
However, in the recent years the
reality behind incinerators has been
uncovered to a large extent and
identified them as a problematic
technology for treatment of
healthcare waste. It was at this period
that the flipside of incineration,
as a process that changes the
waste not just physically but also
chemically, drew the attention
of environmentalists and public
alike. The end products, air borne
chemical pollutants and ashes,
were be more toxic than the waste
and the need to dispose them
appropriately to avoid environmental
and human health hazards was
realized. Simultaneously, non-burn
technologies aiming and eliminating
the toxicity causing materials evolved.
Various technologies are now
available for the treatment of
healthcare waste and can be
categorized as: Thermal processes
using low heat, medium heat, high
heat; Chemical processes; Irradiative
processes; and Biological processes.
This section provides information
on alternative technologies available
to assist hospital administrators,
healthcare professionals, policy
makers, and the community for
disposal of healthcare waste.
Note: This section does not endorse any
specific technology or company. This fact
sheet is presented only with the objective of
illustrating some of the available technologies
and as an example of non-incineration
treatment methods available. The onus of
identifying and selecting the appropriate
technology remains with the respective user. It
is highly recommended to check for the latest
and most accurate data and specifications with
the technology vendor.
139 HEALTHCARE WASTE IN ASIA: INTUITIONS & INSIGHTS