A Review of Current and Novel Methods of Medical Waste Management

Abstract

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), high-income and low-income countries generate on average up to 0.5 kg and 0.2kg of hazardous waste per hospital bed per day, respectively. However, hazardous waste only accounts for 15% of total medical waste. The amount of total medical waste has increased over time, especially with medical supplies ordered during the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of the paper is to increase awareness of the problem regarding the difficulties of medical waste management and discuss possible solutions to these challenges. This review will inquire into the various methods of medical waste management, their current statuses, and their environmental, economic, and social impacts. Types of medical waste include pharmaceuticals, blood/blood-related products, sharps, body parts/tissues/organs, contaminated equipment, and COVID-19 products. The author describes in detail the environmental, economic, and social implications of the use of landfills, incineration, steam sterilization, sewage, and common forms of improper disposal, during which the author discusses impacts such as leaching and social disparities faced by developing countries. The author also considers economic and environmentally friendly medical waste management such as redistribution of medical supplies to vet clinics as well as innovative medical waste management technologies including thermal plasma treatment and plasma pyrolysis. The author suggests that medical waste management focuses on economical methods that have small environmental impacts and large social benefits such as methods of redistribution.