Biomedical Waste Management in Hospitals: Current Practices and Future Perspectives

Abstract

Biomedical waste (BMW) is a range of potentially harmful waste products that can threaten human health and the environment. Properly managing these wastes is essential for preventing the spread of diseases caused by infectious agents from these wastes and reducing environmental pollution. Nevertheless, despite the available regulations and guidelines, many hospitals around the world have poor waste management due to infrastructure, financial, and educational challenges. The purpose of this chapter is to describe the types and classes of BMW, current means of disposal and treatment, and the regulatory board of BMW management and new attitudes, which are promising opportunities for waste management. The latter includes technological innovations, such as automation and new waste disposal and treatment methods that are environmentally friendly. However, despite extensive experience in BMW management, the problem is still relevant. The future of BMW in hospitals is to integrate sustainable methods and new technologies and improve regulatory authority enforcement.