Healthcare Waste Management Practices in Hospitals—A Review

The healthcare sector is witnessing a period of explosive growth due to technological innovations in treatments, diagnostics, and services in the healthcare industry. Although this development brings positive changes in the quality of care provided to patients, it is responsible for an exponential increase in Healthcare waste (HCW) production. Improper handling, processing, and disposal of such waste present environmental and public health risks, especially when hazardous HCW accumulates in the environment. HCW refers to infectious agents, pathological waste, sharps, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, and radioactive waste that require specific management techniques to ensure safety. In this review, various techniques employed in HCW disposal, such as incineration, chemical treatment, autoclaving, recycling, and landfill disposal, will be reviewed for their effectiveness and impacts on the environment and human health. This paper highlights major phases of waste management in hospitals, which include waste generation, waste segregation, waste collection, waste storage, waste transportation, waste treatment, and waste disposal. Segregation and proper handling have been highlighted as important practices to be employed to lower the risks and improve operations within healthcare facilities. This paper further examines different frameworks, policies, and awareness programs for effective healthcare waste management practices. Moreover, it evaluates the main challenges encountered by health care providers in managing waste effectively and sustainably, and the potential opportunities for improvement within this industry.