Biomedical Waste Utilization in Soil Stabilization: Merging Waste Management and Sustainable Engineering

In today’s rapidly advancing healthcare sector, the increasing generation of medical waste has become a critical environmental concern. If not properly managed, medical waste, including used syringes, nitrile gloves, bandages, plastics, face masks, expired medications, and more, poses significant environmental risks by contaminating soil, water bodies, and air. Traditional disposal methods, such as incineration, autoclaving, microwave, and chemical treatments, have limitations, with by-products like ash still requiring disposal. A potential solution is the innovative use of medical waste for soil stabilization, which strengthens and stabilizes weak soils and reduces the quantity of waste entering the environment, contributing to sustainability. This paper discusses stabilizing different soil types with various types of medical waste. To evaluate the engineering benefits of using medical waste in soil stabilization, the study is based on the following parameters: Optimum Moisture Content (OMC), Maximum Dry Density (MDD), Unconfined Compressive Strength (UCS), and California Bearing Ratio (CBR). This promotes sustainable construction practices while simultaneously addressing global waste management challenges, thus paving the way for an environmentally responsible solution to medical waste disposal.