3.2.2. Clinical waste segregation
The segregation of clinical wastes from general waste was practiced by the hospitals. Sharps were
deposited into puncture-proof sharp bin, and infectious waste was first deposited into light blue bags for
autoclave treatment before deposited into yellow bags for final disposal Colour-coded waste bins and
high density polyethylene bags are available in the facilities to segregate clinical wastes. However, it was
revealed that segregation of clinical waste was not conducted according to the definite rules and
standards. At Hospital BatuPahat, it was found that clinical waste deposited into yellow bins exceeds the
specific limit of less than ¾ full. Besides incubation plates were found pressed into sharp bins, it was also
revealed the risk of needle prick to waste handlers and staffs by the improper disposal of sharps into the
container. In Hospital Taiping, clinical waste was managed by FMSB. Misusing of clinical waste bags
and a yellow bag hung at the blood pressure machine were observed. Some of the nurses also mistakenly
provided the clinical waste bags to patients to contain their clothes during discharge from wards. In
Hospital Tumpat where the clinical waste is managed by RSB, there were improper size usage of yellow
bags in departments and wards. Besides clinical waste were thrown exceed ¾ full in the container, there
were yellow bags hung at a trolley in ward. Some of the hospital staffs misused the yellow bags by
depositing sharp objects. Intruding sharps from the bags might also affect the staffs and patients with
infectious disease or risk of injury. As the clinical waste management in Malaysian hospitals should
follow the guidelines provided by the Ministry of Health Malaysia, much of the findings during
observation were similar at the hospitals. A fundamental issue that was highlighted through interviewed
with personnel at the hospitals was that there are frequently insufficient waste containers to handle the
volume of clinical waste generated. The clinical waste containers and bags were provided by the
concession companies to all required departments and wards in the hospitals.