Health care waste is the byproduct created by health care system (hospitals, clinics and other health care facilities). Entering to such wastes may lead to further infections or any diseases. so, we need to be bothered about it. Such waste can lead to illness due to its following features:
1. Health care waste must contains any infectious agent.
2. It may include hazardous chemical substances.
3. May contain any toxic substances.
4. It may contain genotoxic and radioactive elements.
Those who handle or exposures to this waste are dangerous. Those peoples are counted in risk group. Because of they have a possibility to get infected. So, there need to be vigil and expert person to handle such waste. The main Risk groups are following:
- Doctors, nurses and other medical care auxiliaries,
- Patients attended to health care
- Patient’s relatives they often visit hospital
- Workers related with waste care management
Now we are discussing about each type of waste and its consequences;
a) Impacts of infectious waste including syringes and other surgical sharps.
Micro organisms are very minute and it may enter to the body through injury or any abrasion on the skin. They may enter to the body through mucous membrane too. The medical statistics of infection shows that pathogens are spread through waste and enter to the body through any minute puncture on the skin. HIV and Hep B, C Viruses are transmitted through this wastes. Therefore, handling such type of waste should be aggressive and must be destroy with the use of advanced techniques.
b) Impacts of hazardous chemical waste including pharmaceuticals.
Theses category of wastes need to be destroyed by modern technological aid. Because of these waste contains not only chemical substances but also they may radioactive or toxic. Much of the chemicals used in pharmaceuticals are reactive and producing reagents. They can change metabolic activity and lead to hazardous diseases.
c) Impacts of genotoxic waste including Cytotoxic drugs
Cytotoxic drugs can enter body through absorption capability of our cells. The disposals of such wastes are not easy by normal exposure to land. The dust and aerosol contain these toxicity may enter to the body and cause to further infection. Health workers and drug makers have often possibility of infection by these wastes.
d) Impacts of radioactive waste including drugs and machines
Hazards from such types of waste are much vulgar and often may lead to cancer. Radioactive element leads to uncontrolled growth of cells. It may affect genetic material because the emission from radioactive substances is able to penetrate and affect genome type. Exposure to radioactive type waste is not good for health. Those handle with such types of health care wastes need to be bothered and use advanced techniques to manage them.
Apart from these types of wastes, there is anatomical waste and biological wastes. All types needed to be eliminated using incinerators or thermal treatment or any other appropriate use of modern techniques.