OPTIMIZATION OF INFECTIOUS HOSPITAL WASTE MANAGEMENT IN ITALY .2. WASTE CHARACTERIZATION BY ORIGIN

This second paper in a two-part series offers more detailed data on th e physicochemical 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 d epartments, 40 analytical laboratories and 2500 rehabilitation beds, n ear the town of Bari (Southern Italy). The wide variation of experimen tal results may be better understood if reference is made to the origi n of such waste, i.e. to the types of medical departments and sanitary services wherein waste production appears to be related strictly to t he therapeutic or diagnostic procedures adopted. In all cases, IHW was shown to be classified as ''non-toxic'' deserving 950 degrees C rathe r than 1200 degrees C incineration temperature according to Italian le gislation. (C) 1996 ISWA