Waste and Hospital Waste: Management and Consequences to Public Health

Abstract

The inappropriate waste management contributes in climate changes, air, water, soil pollution and affects ecosystems and species, both directly and indirectly. Moreover, the environment, health and wellness are affected in many
ways. In Greece, the management of hazard waste poses a serious threat due to lack of sufficient infrastructure for
safe management. Hospital waste is a contaminated and infectious matter, often dangerous for Public Health, thus a
specialized way of management is needed. National policies concerning waste is a part of the national policy for sustainable development, which aims at ensuring environmental protection, human health and the well-being of citizens.
It aspects in a socio-economical transformation that runs on realistic human needs, using sources efficiently, friendly
to the environment, while faces waste as source.Theaimofthepresentstudyis to list and describe the most important
in use laws and regulations, as well as to underline the real-time situation in Greece regarding municipal-type waste,
much more the hospitals’ one (hazardous and infectious).