CHARACTERISTICS OF MEDICAL WASTE IN TAIWAN HSIEN-WEN KUO * , SHU-LUNG SHU, CHIN-CHUNG WU and JIM-SHOUNG LAI Institute of Environmental Health, China Medical College No. 91, Hsueh-Shin RD., Taichung, Taiwan, R.O.C. ( * author for correspondence, fax: +886 42019901) (Received 1 October 1997; accepted 9 October 1998) Abstract. The purpose of this study was threefold: to investigate the types and amounts of medical waste from various hospitals in Taiwan; to analyze residues from incinerated medical waste for heavy metal content; and to measure the amount of infectious and general medical waste per bed per day and determine the ratio of infectious to general medical waste. Information was first obtained on the amounts of medical waste produced per bed per day and on waste handling and treatment. Next, residue samples were taken from incinerators and analyzed for heavy metal content. Third, daily records concerning waste content and weight from one hospital were kept over the period of one year. Chromium (Cr) and zinc (Zn) concentrations were significantly higher in medical waste than in general waste. Medical waste fluctuated significantly over the one-year period. Records showed that wastes containing dialysis material and wood/cotton materials were found to have the highest weight and wastes containing human organs had the lowest weight. Results of the present study underscore the need for all hospitals to effectively separate waste for proper treatment and disposal, particularly waste that produces residues which may be hazardous to the environment. In addition, hospitals also need to recycle or reuse certain materials in order to reduce waste production. Keywords: heavy metals, incineration, medical waste, Taiwan 1. Introduction Medical waste disposal is becoming a major problem in Taiwan due to several reasons; the large increase in medical waste volume from the growing trend of using plastics and disposable goods, the continued expansion and construction of new facilities, and the hazards of handling and disposing of infectious waste. Taiwan’s dense population and limited land area makes incineration of medical waste, as opposed to burial, a necessity. If all of Taiwan’s 22 hospital incinerators were fully active, they could treat the 5.21 tonnes (about 60% or 1901.7 tonnes annually) of infectious waste that is produced daily. However, the incinerators are currently treating only 3.52 tonnes (about 45% or 1284.8 tonnes annually) of daily infectious waste output. Previously, most of this infectious waste was produced by small-scale hospitals and clinics which end was first disinfected by autoclaves before being combined with general waste and buried in landfills (Chen, 1996; Lee et al., 1991). Currently, some small-scale hospitals and clinics are required by the government to send their infectious waste to privately-run incinerators for treatment. Water, Air, and Soil Pollution 114: 413–421, 1999. © 1999 Kluwer Academic Publishers. Printed in the Netherlands.