Waste from healthcare activities

Key facts

• Of the total amount of waste generated by health-care activities, about 80% is general waste.
• The remaining 20% is considered hazardous material that may be infectious, toxic or radioactive.
• Every year an estimated 16 000 million injections are administered worldwide, but not all of the needles and syringes are properly disposed of afterwards.
• Healthcare waste contains potentially harmful microorganisms which can infect hospital patients, health-care workers and the general public.

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Safe management of wastes from healthcare activities - Second edition

The waste produced in the course of health-care activities, from contaminated needles to radioactive isotopes, carries a greater potential for causing infection and injury than any other type of waste, and inadequate or inappropriate management is likely to have serious public health consequences and deleterious effects on the environment. Read more here