Chapter 9 - Sustainability of Clinical Solid Waste Management

Abstract

The sustainability of clinical solid waste management is critical because clinical wastes can be hazardous, are generated from sensitive resources, and should thus, be handled and treated in a sensitive manner. Technological advances in recent years have made the problem of clinical waste management even more complex with the introduction of disposable needles, syringes, and similar items. Most of the available clinical waste treatment methods are not cost effective or environmentally acceptable and do not deal with clinical waste in a safe manner. This chapter discusses the most popular technologies used in clinical waste treatment and compares and contrasts the advantages and disadvantages of each one. Technologies discussed in this chapter include incineration, autoclave (steam sterilization), chemical disinfection, microwave disinfection, pyrolysis, gasification, plasma systems, and irradiation. Current clinical waste management practices that are applied in both the developed and developing countries are examined, and a final discussion is given about the use of electron beam technology in sterilizing clinical waste and its application to achieve a “cradle-to-cradle” implementation.