Impact of Biomedical Waste Management System on Infection Control in the Midst of COVID-19 Pandemic

Selvan Christyraj, Johnson Retnaraj Samuel; Selvan Christyraj, Jackson Durairaj; Adhimoorthy, Prasannan; Rajagopalan, Kamarajan; Nimita Jebaranjitham, J.

The emergence of modern medicinal practices and diagnosis process has resulted in health risks and threat to the environment, and thus it is a matter of global concern. However, the improper waste management rules adopted in healthcare hospitals around the world cause a potential health impact to ecosystem which generates contagious and deadly diseases affected by human beings. In this chapter, an attempt is made to investigate an overview of biomedical waste management practices in healthcare facilities in India as well as around the world. This chapter intends to provide the origin and types of biomedical waste, requirement of waste management rules and containment in hospitals and research centres and followed by the safe disposal of wastes which are unaffected to the environment. More emphasis was given to the biomedical health risks, handling and disposal methodologies adopted by different countries and the steps taken to eradicate the infections caused due to COVID-19 pandemic in much reliable ways.