Health Care Waste Management at Primary Health Care Centre

Health Care Waste Management at Primary Health Care Centre
Types and Categories of HCW		Methods of management	Responsibility
Non-risk HCW	Bio-degradable  (Compostable)	The waste can be composted to produce compost manure and can also be used for production of bio-gas.	Chief of primary health care centre, concerned health workers and the authorized person
	Recyclable         (Nonbiodegradable)	Recyclable items should be recycled and reused.
	Other non-risk waste	If waste cannot be composted or recycled, contact the local authority for disposal.
HCW requiring special attention	Human anatomical wastes such as placenta, human tissue	Dispose in placenta pit/safe burial/controlled incineration as per standard operating procedure (SOP).
	Sharps such as injections, blades	Mutilate/cut the tip of the syringe and the needle with needle and hub cutter, then autoclave and dispose properly. OR Wastes are at first disinfected with 0.5% chlorine solution and deep burial/encapsulation/septic vault.
	Pharmaceutical waste such as waste comprising of date expired, contaminated and discarded medicines	Apply return back policy; return the waste to the store and from the store to the supplier. OR Dispose in secured landfill after encapsulation.
	Cytotoxic pharmaceutical waste such as postexpiration date cytotoxic pharmaceuticals, discernable liquid residues of cytotoxic concentrates	Apply return back policy; return the waste to the store and from the store to the supplier. OR Sanitary landfill after encapsulation
Infectious and highly infectious waste	Infectious wastes such as blood bags, gloves, syringe	Sterilization with autoclave/ steam sterilization and dispose properly. Mutilate before disposal. OR Mutilate/cut gloves, syringes and blood bags and disinfect wastes with 0.5% chlorine solution and dispose it properly.
	Infectious waste such as bandage, cotton	Autoclave and dispose properly. OR These wastes are first disinfected with 0.5% chorine solution and safe disposal through burial/ sanitary landfill.
Other hazardous waste	Heavy metal such as mercury	Should be collected and stored separately in glass bottle with water and well labeled and stored in secured place.
	Chemical waste (chemicals used in disinfection, insecticides)	Chemical treatment and discharge into drains after massive dilution with plain water

 Source : Health Care Waste Management Guideline 2014,MOHP,Nepal