OPTIMIZATION OF INFECTIOUS HOSPITAL WASTE MANAGEMENT IN ITALY: PART II. WASTE CHARACTERIZATION BY ORIGIN

This second paper in a two-part series offers more detailed data on the physico-chemical characteristics of normal (NHW) and infectious (IHW) hospital waste determined experimentally in a large sanitary district that includes four hospitals, public and private, with 164 sanitary departments, 40 analytical laboratories and 2500 rehabilitation beds, near the town of Bari (Southern Italy). The wide variation of experimental results may be better understood if reference is made to the origin of such waste, i.e. to the types of medical departments and sanitary services wherein waste production appears to be related strictly to the therapeutic or diagnostic procedures adopted. In all cases, IHW was shown to be classified as “non-toxic” deserving 950°C rather than 1200°C incineration temperature according to Italian legislation.