Infectious and Hazardous Waste Protocol for Medical Facilities

Medical Treatment Facilities that generate infectious and medical waste have found its management to be a difficult problem. Looking for the ideal waste management system that is both workable and cost-effective can result in little or no management without some idea of the possible solutions and how to implement them effectively. This technical report provides a perspective on the risks and purpose of waste management and how the management scheme may be approached in a generic fashion. It serves as an overview of waste management concepts, risks posed by infectious and other medical waste, and identifies the basic objectives of waste management. The report defines the scope of the many common problems and identifies suggested areas of responsibility. Various broad waste categories are summarized as well as special waste categories that may require unique management methods. Included is a waste management outline to guide the waste manager in establishing a viable comprehensive waste management strategy.