Apart from the risk to the patients and health care
personnel, consideration must be given to the impact of health care waste to the general
public and the environment. In particular, attention should be paid to the possible
pollution of the air, water and soil including the aesthetic aspects. If medical waste are
not segregated efficiently, hazardous waste fractions will be disposed to landfill together
with non hazardous medical waste. This entails high risk of fire/ explosion at landfill site,
pollution and public health. Special attention must be given in order to impose limits on
the discharge of hazardous liquids to sewers.