CHN

1. Unit 12
SAGUN LOHALA

2. Impact of HCW
Environment Public Health

3. Environment
• Disposal of untreated health care wastes can
cause pollution
• Treatment of HCW with chemical disinfectants
can result to release of chemical substances
in environment
• Inadequate incineration and incineration of
unsuitable materials can result to pollution
• Only modern incinerators operating at 850-
1100 degree Celsius fitted with gas-cleaning
equipment are able to comply with the
international
• Alternative options can be used such as
autoclaving, microwaving, steam treatment
minimizes hazards

4. Public
Health
• HCW has negative impact on health-
care workers, waste handlers and
the community to infections, toxic
effects and injuries including damage
of the environment
• Enhance opportunities for the
collection of disposable medical
equipment, its re-sale and potential
re-use without sterilization

5. Risk Related to HCW

6. Types
of
Hazards
Hazards from infectious waste and
sharps
Hazards from chemical and
pharmaceutical waste
Hazards from genotoxic waste
Hazards from radioactive waste
Public sensitivity

7. Risk Related to HCW
HCW is hazardous for:
• Medical doctors, nurses, health-care
auxiliaries, hospital maintenance
personnel
• Patient in health care establishment
• Visitors to health care establishment
• Workers in support system; laundry
personnel, waste handling and
transportation
• Workers in waste disposal facilities such
as land fills or incinerators including
scavengers

8. Treatment and Disposal technologies for HCW
Incineration:
• It converts combustible
materials into noncombustible
residue or ash.
• Pre-treatment is not required
• Gases are ventilated through the incinerator stacks, and
the residue or ash is disposed of in a sanitary landfill.
• It has various health hazard, its use is limited and when
used is handle cautiously.

9. Types of
incinerator:
•Double-chamber pyrolytic incinerators
•Single-chamber furnaces
•Rotary kilns operating at high temp.
Double chambered incinerator:
Incineratorsimpler
diagram:

10. Chemical disinfections
are the preferred
treatment for liquid
infectious wastes, but
it can also be used in
treating solid infectious
waste.

11. Wet thermal treatment:
• Based on exposure of
shredded infectious waste to
high temperature, high
pressure steam, and
• Process is similar to
autoclave process

12. Screw-feed technology:
•Dry thermal disinfection
process
•Waste shredded- rotating auger-
heated
•The weight is reduced by
80% in volume and by 35%
in weight..
Wet and dry thermal
treatment:

13. Microwave irradiation:
•Microwave of frequency-2450 MHz,
wavelength-
12.24 nm
•Water present in the waste is heated by
microwave
•Mechanism of disinfection is by heat
conduction

14. Land disposal:
•Acceptable route of disposal
•Two types:
Open dumps
Sanitary landfills
Advantages of sanitary landfills over open dumps
Geological isolation of waste
Appropriate engineering preparation
Organized deposit
Daily coverage of waste