Biological termEasy0.5 marks
6(b)
Give appropriate biological / technical terms for the following:
The type of waste generated in hospitals and pathological laboratories.
Topic: Biomedical waste
Previous-year question practice database
Answer
Exam answer
BIOMEDICAL WASTE.
Explanation
Biomedical waste is generated during the diagnosis, treatment or immunisation of patients — used syringes and needles, soiled dressings, blood bags, expired medicines, human tissues and laboratory cultures.
It is treated as a separate category because it is hazardous in TWO distinct ways: it is INFECTIOUS (it may carry pathogens such as HIV or hepatitis B) and it contains SHARPS that can injure handlers.
Disposal is by INCINERATION, autoclaving or deep burial — never in an ordinary landfill. In India it is segregated at source into colour-coded bins, which is why hospitals keep several differently coloured containers side by side.
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