Research Information System
10th International İzmir Congress on Medicine, Nursing, Midwifery, and Health Sciences, İzmir, Turkey, 16 - 18 December 2025, pp.191-203, (Full Text)
Waste management is a critical determinant of public health, influencing exposure pathways related to infectious diseases, chemical contaminants, air and water pollution, and antimicrobial resistance (AMR). This review synthesizes findings from national and international studies published between 2010 and 2024 to evaluate the multifaceted health risks associated with household, medical, industrial, pharmaceutical, and wastewater-derived wastes. Evidence indicates that poorly managed municipal solid waste increases environmental pathogen load and facilitates the proliferation of vectors such as flies, rodents, and mosquitoes, thereby elevating the incidence of gastrointestinal and waterborne infections. Medical waste presents an additional set of risks; inconsistencies in segregation, sterilization, and temporary storage practices, particularly in smaller healthcare facilities, expose health workers and surrounding communities to infectious agents. Airborne pollutants originating from waste incineration facilities, including PM2.5, dioxins, and heavy metals, are strongly linked to respiratory and cardiovascular morbidity, while inadequately treated wastewater contributes to neurotoxic, endocrinedisrupting, and carcinogenic exposures. Pharmaceutical residues, especially antibiotics discharged into aquatic systems, play a significant role in the environmental amplification of AMR, as documented in the WHO, OECD, and UNEP frameworks. In the Turkish context, low source-separation rates, heterogeneous medical waste practices, and limited advanced wastewater treatment capacity exacerbate exposure risks and create regional disparities in environmental health outcomes. Overall, the literature highlights the need for integrated, sustainable waste management policies that strengthen infrastructure, improve personnel training, enhance controls on emissions and effluents, and establish coordinated pharmaceutical waste collection systems. Aligning national strategies with international environmental health guidelines is essential to reduce disease burden and support long-term public health resilience.