An investigation of the disposal of dental clinical waste in Bangkok.
This study investigated the disposal of clinical waste within dental surgeries in Bangkok, Thailand and followed the waste trail to the rubbish tips. A questionnaire was sent to all dental practices in the Bangkok Metropolitan Area. The response rate was 57.7 per cent. At the same time, rubbish collectors and scavengers were interviewed to see if they encountered clinical dental waste. Few dentists complied with all recommendations for the disposal of waste. Most waste was disposed of into the domestic rubbish stream. Rubbish collectors and scavengers knew what dental rubbish looked like and some had had needle-stick injuries. Although recommendations can be made to the dental profession to alter their behaviour, real improvement is unlikely without changes to legislation and social policy.
Dental School, University of Wales College of Medicine, Cardiff, UK.
K
K
Punchanuwat
B K
BK
Drummond
E T
ET
Treasure
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D018057:Dental Waste / Q000145:classification / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D003815:Dentists; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D006801:Humans; D017744:Medical Waste Disposal / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000379:methods*; D016602:Needlestick Injuries / Q000209:etiology; D011215:Practice Management, Dental; D011640:Public Policy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013785:Thailand; D018505:Waste Management / Q000379:methods
D018057:Dental Waste; D017744:Medical Waste Disposal