Biomedical waste management refers to handling waste generated during medical activities to prevent health hazards. It is crucial for maintaining hygiene and preventing infections among humans and wildlife, with governmental regulations in place to enforce it. Hospital waste is categorized into non-hazardous and hazardous, with hazardous waste further subdivided into potentially infectious and potentially toxic waste.

1. BIOMEDICAL WASTE
MANAGEMENT

2. DEFINITION
 “Biomedical Waste Management" means any waste
which is generated during the diagnosis, treatment or
immunization of human beings or animals or in
research activities pertaining to there or in the
production or testing of biological, infection,
pathological, sharps, pharmaceuticals, genotoxic,
chemical, and radioactive wastes”.
 According to Roles, 1998 of India; In simple words
biomedical waste is the waste generated by the
medical and health care institutes or agencies

3. Importance of Biomedical
Waste Management
 Management of biomedical waste is very important to
protect and maintain hygienic environment. Now-a-
days air/environment pollution is on rise. Every effort
is being taken by government biomedical waste.
 Promotes the health of human beings and other living
creatures. As biomedical waste contributes infection
(HIV, Hep-B infection, T.B)

4.  It is very important to dispose of biomedical waste in
right way to prevent hazards to human beings and
other living organisms
 As biomedical waste management rules are notified by
government on time to time (1998), Biomedical waste
management become a statutory legal obligation

5. TYPES OF HOSPITAL WASTE
HOSPITAL WASTE
NON-HAZARDOUS
WASTE
HAZARDOUS WASTE
POTENTIALLY
INFECTIOUS WASTE
POTENTIALLY TOXIC
WASTE

6. The hospital waste consists of non-
hazardous and hazardous waste.
The hazardous waste consists of potentially
infections waste and potentially toxic
waste.

7. 1. Non-hazardous Waste
 It includes kitchen waste, general office waste (stationery,
wrappers, newspaper, bouquets) etc.
2. Hazardous Waste
 This waste is dangerous e.g. Blood, body fluids, chemical
toxic drugs.
a) Potentially Infectious Waste: It includes dressings, soiled
with blood, pus, body fluids, laboratory samples, syringes,
needles, sharp instruments, placenta, tissues, limbs,
organs etc.

8. b) Potentially Toxic Waste: It includes radioactive waste
(solids, liquids), chemical waste (toxics, corrosive,
inflammable), pharmaceutical waste (expired drugs).

9. CATEGORY OF WASTE

10. SL
NO
WASTE CATEGORY DESCRIPTION & EXAMPLE
1.
2.
3.
4.
Infectious waste
Pathological waste
Sharps ( injurious waste)
Pharmaceutical waste
Waste suspected to contain the pathogen.
Waste from isolation wounds.
Tissues (swabs)
Material or equipment that have been in contact
with infected patients.
Human tissues or fluids e.g. Body parts, blood and
other body fluids and fetus.
e.g. Needles, infusion sets, scalpels, knives,
blades, broken glass, ampoules, glass slides, test
tubes.
Waste containing pharmaceutical waste e.g.
Expired that are no longer needed, items that are
contaminated by or containing pharmaceuticals
(bottles, boxes).

11. SL
NO
WASTE CATEGORY DESCRIPTION & EXAMPLE
5.
6.
7.
8.
Genotoxic waste
(cytotoxic waste)
Chemical waste
Waste with high content
of heavy metals
Pressurized containers
Waste substances with genotoxic properties
e.g. cytotoxic drugs of often used in cancer therapy
genotoxic chemicals, radioactive materials, strong
acids and alkalies, concentrated phenyl anti cancer
drugs.
Waste containing chemical substance
e.g. Laboratory reagents, film developer,
disinfections that are expired or no longer needed,
solvents, gases, dyes, insecticides.
Batteries, broken thermometers, blood-pressure
gauges.
Gas cylinders, gas cartridges a-cresol cans

12. SL
NO
WASTE CATEGORY DESCRIPTION & EXAMPLE
9. Radioactive waste e.g. Unused liquids from radiotherapy or laboratory
research, contaminated glass, waste packages,
absorbent paper, urine and excreta from patient
treated with sealed sources.