Management of biomedical and radioactive waste has over the years emerged as a major challenge for the hospital administrators that needs to be addressed satisfying all the necessary requirements and regulations. This article briefly describes the importance of effective management of biomedical and radioactive waste in a hospital. Healthcare institutions generate an enormous amount of waste which is considered as potentially hazardous in view of the inherent potential for dissemination of infection.
On an average, a hospital generates 0.5 to 2 kilograms of waste per bed per day. According to recent clinical studies, it is estimated that about 85% of the waste generated is non-hazardous, about 10% is infectious and 5% non-infectious but hazardous. Moreover, the rising trends of HBV and HIV infection have led to an increasing awareness about the risk associated with improper management…
