The Biobrio 8(3 & 4), 2021
A study of medical waste pollution in Kanpur and adjacent areas
Rajesh Kumar & Seema Yadav
ABSTRACT:
The last 2-3 decades have witnessed the extension of health services across the world including
India. Due to this, health services are easily available to almost everyone not only in urban
areas but in rural regions as well. This has resulted to a new type of environmental hazard
worldwide. This hazard has been named as biomedical waste. In fact, all types of waste
generated during the diagnosis, treatment or immunization of human beings or animals is
known as biomedical waste. Proper management of healthcare waste or medical waste is an
important part of infection control and hygiene programmes in the field of healthcare.
Healthcare centers play a crucial role in community acquired infection and produce large
quantities of biomedical waste. The waste generation in healthcare centers or hospitals ranges
between 500 grams to 3 kilograms per bed per day. This includes 7-10% plastic waste, 5-10%
disposable syringes, 3-5% used glass material, bandages, linen and other infectious waste is
up to 30-35%. Other general waste ranges from 40-45%. The present study deals with medical
waste pollution in Kanpur and adjacent areas, and is an effort to provide some suggestions
and solutions for reducing and controlling the production of biomedical waste.
Keywords: Kanpur hospitals, Biomedical waste, health hazard, waste disposal
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