2023-07-02 07:33:41
The Iraqi Ministry of Environment is complaining about what it described as “non-compliance” by private health institutions with the safe disposal of medical waste, while an environmental expert advises to dispose of it through incinerators equipped with equipment to get rid of toxic gases resulting from burning.
According to the spokesman for the Ministry of Environment, Amir Ali Al-Hassoun, “most health institutions in the private sector (civilian) are not committed to environmental determinants in dealing with medical waste,” which affects the country’s environment.
Al-Hassoun spoke to the Iraqi News Agency “INA” about the need for central incinerators to control the large quantities of this waste.
Why is medical waste dangerous?
Environmental expert, Ayman Qaddouri, a member of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, explains to Sky News Arabia the dangers of this waste, and whether the ministry’s proposal to create central incinerators is a sufficient solution to avoid this danger or not:
Medical waste after 2003 (the year of the US invasion of Iraq) constitutes one of the most dangerous forms of pollution. Because of the chemicals they contain, such as radioactive and toxic substances, mishandling them turns them into gases that are released into the air, and some of them are vectors of infection due to the microorganisms and viruses they contain.
What is the best way to safely get rid of them?
On the proposal to incinerate medical waste, Qadouri comments, explaining:
Not all medical waste is destroyed by incineration, especially those containing chlorine, lead, mercury and cadmium. Because burning them releases toxic and carcinogenic gases into the air. The best ways to deal with medical waste start with sorting it on the basis of type and severity, and dealing with each type according to appropriate criteria. In the case of burning, it is in incinerators equipped with equipment to get rid of gases released from burning, or high-pressure sterilization and chemical treatment that does not result in the release of toxic gases into the air. The environmental expert draws attention to the need to pay attention to protecting workers in municipal services. Because they are more at risk of infection and poisoning as a result of their exposure to this medical waste, including contaminated needles and sharp materials dumped next to household waste.
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