**8.3 Biomedical waste and its impact on air quality**

Greenhouse gas and particulate emissions are challenging issues for HCW dumping sites. Hospitals produce a huge quantity of waste mostly disposed of by incineration. Incineration is the conventional and most common method of choice for the treatment of HCW. The burning of HCW pollutes the environment by discharging fly ash and toxic metals in the incinerated ash. Burning HCW results in higher incidences of cancer, respiratory disorders, innate abnormalities, and hormonal disorders other issues related to the burning of HCW are contribution to global warming, acidification, ozone or smog formation, and eutrophication. This also releases various gases

and particulate materials into the air contaminating the environmental air. Dust, particulate matter, black carbon, metals, acid gases, ammonia, sulfate, and nitrate are the major contaminants released in the air. Burning of HCW emits harmful organic compounds like acetone, octane, decane, dodecane, methenamine, cyclo-butane, diethyl phthalate, nonane, carbon disulfide, and diperoxide [43]. The incineration of plastic-rich hospital waste results in emissions of HCl, CO, C2H4, C2H6, C3H8,C3H6 in the concentrations of 3.3–5.3, 1.4–1.8, <0.002, <0.010, <0.012, and < 0.011 g/kg, respectively [44]. A high concentration of dioxin and furan in the atmosphere near medical waste incinerators was reported [45]. The high prevalence of self-reported


**Table 11.**

*Health hazards of heavy metal contaminants in HCW [52].*

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

health symptoms such as fatigue, sleepiness, and headaches among residents near waste sites was reported in most of the studies [46–48]. The process of incineration may convert solid and liquid toxic waste into gaseous emissions, particulate matters, oxides of nitrogen, and oxides of sulfur causing acute effects such as eyes and respiratory irritation. It also increases the toxic effects of heavy metals and contributes to acid rain. The plastic waste made up of chlorine releases dioxins that are known as human carcinogens [46].

The increased level of these pollutants is dangerous to human health causing various types of health issues especially respiratory problems [49]. Studies have also reported the prevalence of adverse health effects other than respiratory problems like birth defects with low birth weight, cancers, etc. in individuals residing near HCW processing and dumping sites [50]. The study findings suggest a relatively higher prevalence of various health issues among people living in proximity to waste dumping and processing sites than those living far from these sites particularly respiratory illness (23% v 10%), eye irritation (20% v 9.5%) and stomach problem (27% v 20%) [51–53].

Heavy metals generate reactive oxygenic species (ROS) and induce oxidative stress which is responsible for various diseases and health conditions. Acting as metabolic poisons they react and inhibit sulfhydryl (SH) enzyme systems which are involved in cellular energy production. Heavy metals have been reported to be carcinogenic, mutagenic, and teratogenic [54]. The harmful effects of heavy metals which are the main pollutants from HCW are depicted in **Table 11**.
