A/HRC/18/31 I. Introduction 1. The present report is submitted in accordance with Human Rights Council resolution 9/1, in which the Council requested the Special Rapporteur to continue to undertake, in consultation with the relevant United Nations bodies, organizations and the secretariats of relevant international conventions, a global, multidisciplinary and comprehensive study of existing problems and new trends in, and solutions to, the adverse effects of the trafficking and dumping of toxic and dangerous products and wastes on human rights, with a view to making concrete recommendations and proposals on adequate measures to control, reduce and eradicate these phenomena. 2. In the report, the Special Rapporteur focuses on the adverse effects that the unsound management and disposal of medical waste may have on the enjoyment of human rights. It consists of four substantive parts: the first part provides general information on the various categories of hazardous medical waste, and considers the way hazardous health-care waste is currently managed and disposed of. The second part focuses on the adverse human rights impact of the improper management and disposal of medical waste. The third part contains an analysis of the current normative framework elaborated at the international and national levels to regulate the sound management of hazardous medical waste. The last section contains conclusions and recommendations focusing on the additional measures that relevant stakeholders should consider adopting and implementing to bring about real and tangible improvements in the safe and environmentally sound management and disposal of medical waste. 3. In choosing this topic, the Special Rapporteur considered a number of factors, in accordance with the methodology outlined by the previous mandate holder in his first report submitted to the Commission on Human Rights.1 These factors include the scale and seriousness of the phenomenon; the lack of an adequate regulatory framework; and the need to consider the phenomenon from a human rights perspective. 4. The Special Rapporteur wishes to thank the secretariat of the Basel Convention, the secretariat of the Stockholm Convention, the World Health Organization (WHO), Health Care Without Harm and the Centre for International Environmental Law for the information and assistance provided during the preparation of the present report. II. Management and disposal of medical waste A. Medical waste: definition 5. The terms “medical waste” or “health-care waste” refer to all waste generated by health-care establishments. They include waste generated by medical or other related practices. Major sources of medical waste are hospitals, clinics, laboratories, blood banks and mortuaries, whereas physician’s offices, dental clinics, pharmacies, home-based health care and so on generate smaller amounts. 6. Most of this waste, approximately 75 to 80 per cent of the total amount, consists of general health-care waste that does not pose any particular risk to human health or the environment. It includes materials that have not been in contact with patients, such as glass, paper, packaging material, metal, food or other wastes that are similar to household wastes. 1 4 E/CN.4/2005/45, paras. 18-21.