QUANTITY AND QUALITY OF SOLID WASTES GENERATED BY HEALTH CENTERS IN NORTH OF IRAN (2012)

Health care centers have main effects on health promotion of community. This study has performed about solid wastes generated by health care centers in North of Iran. In this descriptive and cross- sectional study, quantity and components weight percents of general and infectious solid wastes were performed. All data were analyzed by SPSS 16. Mean percent of general, infectious and sharp wastes were 64.5%, 20.1% and 15.4% respectively. In the physical determination of the general wastes, the main components were belong to food wastes (43%), paper and textiles (35%), plastics (13.5%), glass (5.2%), metals (1.3%) and the others (2%). In the infectious wastes, the most percent were included to plastics (46%), paper and textiles (33. 3%), glass (17.1%) and the others (3.6%). Considering to percent of infectious wastes in health care centers (20.1%), it is necessary that should be noticed management of these hazardous wastes. In this field, sterilization of infectious wastes by hydro clave will be recommended. Also, considering to highly percent of the food wastes, paper and textiles and plastics in the general solid wastes, could be used composting and recycle of these materials for decreasing of volume of health care wastes along with to municipal solid wastes.