Definition of Terms Associated with Hospital Waste Management

1.    Impact: The effect of something on its environment.

2.    Sewer: This is an underground pipe that carries liquid waste from hospital to a place called sewage treatment plant.

3.    Scalps: A small sharp knife used by doctors in medical operations.

4.    Toxic: Containing poisonous substance or thing.

5.    Therapeutic: Designed to help treat an illness.

6.    Chemotherapy: The treatment of disease especially cancer with the use of chemical substances.

7.    Pathological: Something that causes or that is connected with disease or illness.

8.    Needles: A very pointed piece of steel used on the end of a syringe for putting drugs into somebody or for taking out of somebody.

9.    Syringe: A plastic or glass tube with a big hollow needle that is used for putting drugs into a person body or for taking blood from a person.

10. Disposal: The act of getting rid of something.

11. Waste: This is a substance produced in man’s day to day activities through the process of consumption, recreation and production which are unwanted and are no longer useful to man.

12. Reduction: Minimizing the generation of waste at source.

13. Re-use: Treatment of waste for recycling and reuse.