MT 31 L.

2
HEALTHCARE
WASTE
MANAGEMENT
REFERENCE:
Republic of the Philippines, Department of
Health (2011). Manual on healthcare waste
management (3rd ed.). Bldg. 4, Department of
Health, Tayuman St. cor. Rizal Avenue, Sta.
Cruz, Manila, 1003 Philippines: Department
of Health - National Center for Health Facility
Development (NCHFD).
WHAT IS HEALTHCARE
WASTE?
“Healthcare waste” includes all forms of waste
generated as a result of any of the following:
• Diagnosis, treatment or immunization of human
beings;
• research pertaining to the above activities;
• research using laboratory animals for the
improvement of human health;
• production or testing of biologicals; and
• other activities performed by Health Care Facilities.
WHAT ARE HEALTHCARE
FACILITIES?
“Healthcare Facilities” are public, private and
non-governmental institutions/facilities that
contribute to the improvement of the health
status of an individual. They include:
• Hospitals and medical centers
• Clinics and healthcare units related to patient care
• Rehabilitation centers, hospices, psychiatric centers,
and centers providing long-term healthcare services
• Related laboratories and research centers
• Ambulance and emergency care mobiles
• Teaching and training hospitals and medical schools
CATEGORIES OF HEALTHCARE
WASTE:
1. Infectious Waste
2. Sharps
3. Pathological and Anatomical Waste
4. Pharmaceutical Waste
5. Chemical Waste
6. Radioactive Waste
7. Non-Hazardous or General Waste
Infectious Waste
• All waste suspected to contain pathogens (or their
toxins) in sufficient concentration to cause diseases to
a potential host
• Discarded materials or equipment used for diagnosis,
treatment and prevention of disease of patients with
infectious disease
• Highly infectious waste include microbial cultures and
stocks of highly infectious agents from Medical
Analysis Laboratories and biofluids from patients with
highly infectious diseases (require disinfection at
source).
Sharps
• Items that can cause cuts or puncture wounds
• Used or expired sharps e.g., hypodermic, intravenous
or other needles; auto-disable syringes; syringes with
attached needles; infusion sets; scalpels; pipettes;
knives; blades; broken glass; wet ampules

• Does not include syringes and needles used for

antineoplastic purposes.
Pathological and
Anatomical Waste
• Refers to tissue sections and body material derived
from biopsies or surgical procedures that are then
examined in the laboratory.
• Anatomical waste is a subgroup of pathological waste
that refers to recognizable human body parts such as
amputated limbs and the like.
Pharmaceutical Waste
• Refers to expired, spilt and contaminated
pharmaceutical products, drugs and vaccines; as well
as discarded items used in handling pharmaceuticals.
• Pharmaceutical wastes include antineoplastic,
cytotoxic, and genotoxic waste.
• Drugs usually used in oncology (antineoplastic drugs)
or radiotherapy
units have a high
hazardous
mutagenic or
cytotoxic effect.
Chemical Waste
• Refer to discarded chemicals (solid, liquid, or gaseous)
generated during disinfecting and sterilizing
procedures.
• Chemical wastes can be further classified into
corrosive, reactive, toxic and flammable.
• Chemical wastes also
include wastes with high
content of heavy metals
and their derivatives.
Radioactive Waste
• Wastes exposed to radionuclide
• Residues from shipment of radioactive materials and
unwanted solution of radionuclides intended for
diagnostic or therapeutic use
• Liquids, gas and solids contaminated with
radionuclides whose ionizing radiations have
genotoxic effects
Non-Hazardous or
General Waste
• Includes waste that has not been in contact with
communicable or infectious agents, hazardous
chemicals or radioactive substances, and does not
pose a hazard.
LABELLING, MARKINGS AND
COLOR-CODING OF PLASTIC
LINERS AND BINS FOR PROPER
WASTE SEGREGATION
INFECTIOUS WASTE
PLASTIC LINERS BINS
MARKINGS AND MARKINGS AND
SPECIFICATION SPECIFICATION
LABELLING LABELLING
Properly labelled Yellow plastic that Properly labelled Strong leak proof
“INFECTIOUS can withstand “INFECTIOUS bin with cover
WASTE” autoclaving WASTE” with
Size varies
Biohazard Symbol
Tag indicating Thickness: depending on the
source and weight 0.009mm volume of waste
of waste
Size varies
generated, date of
depending on the
collection
volume of waste
Biohazard symbol
optional
JCB. SU - ICLS. 2014
SHARPS
PLASTIC LINERS BINS
MARKINGS AND MARKINGS AND
SPECIFICATION SPECIFICATION
LABELLING LABELLING
Not applicable Not applicable Properly labelled Puncture-proof
“SHARPS” with container with wide
Biohazard Symbol mouth and cover
Tag indicating
source and weight
of waste generated,
date of collection

JCB. SU - ICLS. 2014

PATHOLOGICAL AND ANATOMICAL WASTE
PLASTIC LINERS BINS
MARKINGS AND MARKINGS AND
SPECIFICATION SPECIFICATION
LABELLING LABELLING
Properly labelled Thickness: Properly labelled Strong leak proof
“PATHOLOGICAL/ 0.009mm “PATHOLOGICAL/ bin with cover
ANATOMICAL ANATOMICAL
Size varies Size varies
WASTE” WASTE” with
depending on the depending on the
Biohazard Symbol
Tag indicating volume of waste volume of waste
source, weight of
waste generated,
date of collection
Biohazard symbol
optional
JCB. SU - ICLS. 2014
PHARMACEUTICAL WASTE
PLASTIC LINERS BINS
MARKINGS AND MARKINGS AND
SPECIFICATION SPECIFICATION
LABELLING LABELLING
Properly labelled Yellow with Properly labelled Strong leak
“PHARMACEUTICAL black band “PHARMACEUTICAL proof bin with
WASTE” WASTE” for expired cover
Thickness:
drugs and for
Tag indicating 0.009mm Size varies
containers
source, weight of depending on
Size varies
waste generated, “CYTOTOXIC the volume of
depending on
date of collection WASTE” for waste
the volume of
cytotoxic, genotoxic
waste
and antineoplastic

JCB. SU - ICLS. 2014

CHEMICAL WASTE
PLASTIC LINERS BINS
MARKINGS AND MARKINGS AND
SPECIFICATION SPECIFICATION
LABELLING LABELLING
Properly labelled Yellow with Properly labelled For liquid
“CHEMICAL WASTE” black band “CHEMICAL WASTE” chemical waste:
Disposal bottle
Tag indicating Thickness:
that is made of
source, weight of 0.009mm
amber-colored
waste generated,
Size varies glass, with at
date of collection
depending on least 4L capacity
the volume of that is strong,
waste chemical
resistant and
leak proof
JCB. SU - ICLS. 2014
RADIOACTIVE WASTE
PLASTIC LINERS BINS
MARKINGS AND MARKINGS AND
SPECIFICATION SPECIFICATION
LABELLING LABELLING
Properly labelled Orange Labelled with the Radiation proof
“RADIOACTIVE” name of repositories, leak
Thickness:
radionuclide and proof and lead-
Labelled with the 0.009mm
date of deposition lined container
name of
with radioactive
radionuclide and Size varies
symbol
date of deposition depending on the
volume of waste

JCB. SU - ICLS. 2014

NON-HAZARDOUS OR GENERAL WASTE
PLASTIC LINERS BINS
MARKINGS AND MARKINGS AND
SPECIFICATION SPECIFICATION
LABELLING LABELLING
Tag indicating Black or colorless Recycle Symbol Size varies
source and (non-biodegradable) optional for depending on
weight of waste Green recyclable non- the volume of
generated, date (biodegradable) hazardous waste
of collection wastes

Thickness: 0.009mm
Size varies depending
on the volume of
waste
JCB. SU - ICLS. 2014
END OF
LECTURE