What types of waste are in hospital waste?

Hospital waste can be divided into different categories, based on its hazardousness and degree of contamination. Here is a brief overview of the main categories of hospital waste:

1. Special hazardous waste: includes for example needles, syringes, bottles of expired medicines, chemicals and radioactive products.
2. Biological waste: This includes infected tissues, organs, and biological fluids.
3. Pharmaceutical waste: This includes expired or unused medicines and pharmaceutical substances.
4. Waste medical equipment and materials: This includes, for example, gloves, masks, gowns, medical equipment and devices.
5. Food waste: This includes expired or contaminated food, which can pose a risk to public health.
6. Non-hazardous medical waste: includes for example paper, cardboard, plastic, glass and other uncontaminated materials.

Hospital waste represents a major challenge for environmental management, due to its hazardousness and potential impact on public health. For this reason, their management and disposal are regulated by specific laws and regulations, which impose strict procedures to ensure maximum safety and environmental protection.