Which waste is non-infectious and non-hazardous, making up 75%-90% of total healthcare waste?

• A. General medical waste
• B. Pathological waste
• C. Pharmaceutical waste
• D. Radioactive medical waste

Answer: (A)

The main idea here is how healthcare waste is categorized by risk and handling needs. General medical waste is non-infectious and non-hazardous material—things like paper, cardboard, packaging, plastics, and other ordinary office or kitchen waste from the healthcare setting. Because it doesn’t pose a biological or hazardous risk, it can usually be disposed of with regular municipal waste after basic segregation, which is why it makes up a large portion, typically around 75% to 90% of total healthcare waste. In contrast, pathological waste consists of tissues, organs, body parts, or fluids and often requires special handling due to potential infectious risk; pharmaceutical waste includes medicines and chemical residues that can be hazardous and need controlled disposal; radioactive medical waste contains isotopes and requires shielding and dedicated facilities. So, general medical waste fits the description of being non-infectious and non-hazardous and accounts for the majority of waste in healthcare settings.