Shiro Shirato

(Professor Emeritus, Kanagawa Prefectural College of Nursing & Medical Technology and Rasearch Director, Medical Wastes Research Association)

Abstract

Medical waste poses the following two potential problems to health care workers, to waste handlers and to the environment. First, microbiological hazards: The occupational risks posed by hepatitis B virus and HIV are well documented. However, until recently, there has been little concern about the survival of hepatitis B virus and other pathogenic microbes in sewage water, underground water, salt water and landfill. Experimental studies revealed that the virus remained infectious over 5 day period. Second, chemical hazards: Despite the large volume of chemically hazardous waste (for example, cytotoxic drugs) generated, there is a real lack of information on health and environmental risks. Incineration is the most common technique for these medical wastes. But, waste that contains pathogenic microbes and cytotoxic drugs cannot destruct without adequate operation and the high grade incinerator. Release of infectious microbes and pollutant emissions such as dioxines during incineration are a very difficult problem.

Key words: medical waste, biohazard, chemical hazard, cytotoxic agents, incineration