Now and again, there are difficult clinical waste items to dispose. Often causing some friction between producer and waste management company, these wastes may have unusual characteristics of a mixed waste, or be a troublesome shape of size that does not fit easily into a standard waste container.

An amputated limb is a particularly obvious example, bulky and elongated, not fitting easily into a waste sack or bin.

In Vietnam, surgery on a young man suffering from a massive tumour on his leg resulted in an enormous waste problem. In all, no less that 5 people were required to transfer the excised tumour into a waste container!

It weighed in at 82kg.

This video provides an indication of the tumour size and the difficulty in disposal (the disposal sequence starts at around 02:00).

It is recorded that the patient is doing well after surgery. We wish him the very best.