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Table 5 Other disposal practices related to solid medical waste, Ga South Municipal Assembly, 2014

From: Solid medical waste: a cross sectional study of household disposal practices and reported harm in Southern Ghana

Practices

Number (%)

Birth related

 Placenta brought home after delivery

47 (7.8)a

 Placenta buried

46 (7.7)a

Informal reuse of containers

 Ever sold old medicine bottles

6 (1.0)a

 Re-use old medicine or disinfectant containers

23 (3.8)a

Nature of household bin

 Bucket with(out) lid

197 (32.9)

 Sack/cellophane bag

142 (23.7)

 Basket/basin/carton

73 (12.2)

 Standard bin

116 (19.3)

 Gallon

21 (3.5)

 Pit

38 (6.3)

 None (nearby bush)

9 (1.5)

 No response

4 (0.7)

Waste is removed from home by

 Burial in a pit in the compound

14 (2.3)

 Burning in the compound

94 (15.7)

 Carried to a communal bin

258 (43.0)

 Picked up by a refuse truck

208 (34.7)

 Dump in a nearby bush

21 (3.5)

 Otherb

2 (0.3)

 No response

3 (0.5)

Waste is conveyed to disposal point by

 Children aged <10 years

4 (0.7)

 Adolescents aged 10–19 years

161 (26.8)

 Adults aged ≥20 years

402 (67.0)

 Not applicable

19 (3.2)

 No response

14 (2.3)

  1. a Yes responses only (placenta buried: one respondent did not indicate where it is disposed); b Burning outside the compound 1(0.2), dump in the gutter 1 (0.2)