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Hospital Wastewater: Existing Regulations and Current Trends in Management

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Hospital Wastewaters

Part of the book series: The Handbook of Environmental Chemistry ((HEC,volume 60))

Abstract

Wastewater refers to any water whose quality has been compromised by human activities. It includes liquid waste discharged from domestic homes, agricultural commercial sectors, pharmaceutical sectors, and hospitals. Hospital wastewater (HWW) can contain hazardous substances, such as pharmaceutical residues, chemical hazardous substances, pathogens, and radioisotopes. Due to these substances, hospital wastewater can represent a chemical, biological, and physical risk for public and environmental health. Nevertheless, very frequently there are no legal requirements for hospital effluent treatment prior to its discharge into the municipal collector or directly onto surface water after pretreatment.

In this chapter a brief introduction about the role of hospital wastewater on the environmental contamination was reported. Subsequently the main principles on the hospital wastewater reported in different legislation around the world have been addressed. Moreover the main content reported in the WHO guidelines, EPA guidelines, and guidelines about radionuclide releases to the environment from hospitals was described. A case study of excellence on hospital wastewater management was also illustrated. The chapter ends with some brief final remarks.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Public Health and Pediatrics, University of Torino, Piazza Polonia 94, Torino, 10126, Italy

    Elisabetta Carraro, Silvia Bonetta & Sara Bonetta

Authors
  1. Elisabetta Carraro
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  2. Silvia Bonetta
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  3. Sara Bonetta
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Elisabetta Carraro .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Engineering, University of Ferrara , Ferrara, Italy

    Paola Verlicchi

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Carraro, E., Bonetta, S., Bonetta, S. (2017). Hospital Wastewater: Existing Regulations and Current Trends in Management. In: Verlicchi, P. (eds) Hospital Wastewaters. The Handbook of Environmental Chemistry, vol 60. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/698_2017_10

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