**10.1 Lack of awareness about the hazards related to healthcare waste**

Not only the general public but even highly educated people including healthcare professionals are not fully aware of the hazardous effects of HCW on health and the environment. Due to this, the HCWM does not gather the importance needed

### *Nonbiodegradable Hospital Waste Burden and Implications DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.105009*

resulting in a casual and careless approach. Not all the hospital staffs have knowledge of standard protocol for collection, segregation, and disposal of HCW. In most of the cases, health care staff does not receive occupational safety education and has no knowledge of the safe handling of hazardous substances. They also are not properly trained for using personal protective equipment. A large number of waste handlers and cleaners are casual labors and are illiterate or relatively very less educated unvaccinated and untrained personnel. They generally never use proper personal protective equipment and do not understand the threats of HCW thus putting their and other's health in danger. HCW is transported by hand in regular waste risking spilling of toxic or infectious materials, or injuries to handlers from sharps like needles or other substances. Either, they are unaware or have very little knowledge and a careless approach towards safety measures like spillages and accidents. As the cleaners and waste handlers are in close contact with HCW, they are the worst sufferers of the effects of poor and improper safety procedures [56]. These factors lead to escalation of HCW which could be reduced if given needed importance and attention.

### **10.2 The low priority is given to the waste management**

The HCW management requires the highest consideration and assiduousness to avoid the significant health challenges related with poor HCWM practices like exposure to infectious HCW and toxic material therein. It is one of the most prominent results of failure of HCWM. Sometimes even though the importance of safe management of HCW is sometimes known and understood but the efforts required are not undertaken.

It is generally regarded especially by the general public that waste management is the sole duty and responsibility of government and local administration and that the public is not supposed to contribute [57]. Waste management's success depends upon the active participation of all, the government through local administration, hospital management, and workers and patients. The guidelines related to waste management should be made mandatory to be followed by the hospital staff and regular monitoring of the same can lead to improved compliance. Hospital management is focused on earning more profit from the services without any regard for the environment and HCWM resulting in illegal and uncontrolled disposal of untreated waste increasing the severity of the problem.

The vital issue is the clear ascription of responsibility and accountability of apt handling and processing of HCW. According to the concept of "you pollute you clean or you pay", the responsibility of HCW management lies with the waste producer, the healthcare provider, or the establishment involved in related activities being the one. This needs to be made known to the healthcare system and fixing accountability with them can only bring some seriousness in their attitude.
