Biomedical Waste Management Rules Across Country | Current Affairs & Hindu Analysis: Daily, Weekly & Monthly - UPSC PDF Download

Introduction

 Biomedical waste refers to waste generated from healthcare facilities during treatment and research, including human and animal anatomical waste, as well as treatment apparatus such as needles and syringes.

• Objective: The aim of the rules is to manage the daily biomedical waste generated by healthcare facilities in India in a proper and effective manner.
• Scope: The scope of the rules has been expanded to include healthcare activities such as vaccination camps, blood donation camps, and surgical camps.
• Phase out: Chlorinated plastic bags, gloves, and blood bags have been banned within two years starting from March 2016.
• Pre-treatment: Laboratory waste, microbiological waste, blood samples, and blood bags should be pre-treated on-site through disinfection or sterilization methods as prescribed by the World Health Organization (WHO) or the National AIDS Control Organization (NACO).
• Categorization: The new rules have classified biomedical waste into four categories instead of the previous ten, making it easier to segregate waste at its source.
• Stringent Standards: The new rules prescribe more stringent standards for incinerators to reduce the emission of pollutants into the environment.
• State Government's role: The state government is responsible for providing land to set up common biomedical waste treatment and disposal facilities.

Issues related to biomedical waste generation

• The accumulation of biomedical waste due to the COVID-19 pandemic has led to a new crisis, endangering the health of sanitation workers and garbage collectors. For instance, in Delhi, over 40 sanitation workers have tested positive for COVID-19 and 15 have lost their lives due to this.
• The lack of segregation is a major issue as the biomedical waste from households is often mixed with other household waste, reducing the efficiency of incinerators at waste treatment plants and causing greater emissions and unburnt ash.
• The volume of biomedical waste has increased significantly since the COVID-19 outbreak, with a large COVID-19 facility generating 1800 to 2200 kg of biomedical waste per day. The current disposal mechanisms in cities are not equipped to deal with this huge volume, leading to an overburdened disposal capacity. 
• Additionally, investing in incinerators is a challenge since the need for these machines may decrease once the COVID-19 cases decrease as the infection is episodic.

Key guidelines for Covid-19 biomedical waste management

• Disposal Process: Biomedical waste should be sorted into colored bags based on the type of waste and can be stored for a maximum of 48 hours before being treated on-site or collected by waste management personnel.
• Waste Collection and Segregation: Use designated trolleys and bins in COVID-19 isolation areas and clearly label them as “COVID-19 Waste”. Assign separate personnel for collecting biomedical waste and general solid waste to ensure timely transfer to temporary storage areas.
• Transportation and Disposal: COVID-19 waste is collected in separate vehicles and disposed of at either a CBWTF or waste-to-energy plant where it is either incinerated, sterilized, or burnt for energy production.
• Quantification and Tracking: All quarantine centers must track the movement of COVID-19 waste through CPCB’s mobile app, COVID19BWM.
• Role of Nodal Authorities: Trained officers should be designated to train waste handlers about infection prevention measures and oversee biomedical waste management in hospitals.
• Record Maintenance and Monitoring: Keep an updated bio-medical waste management register and monitor waste management activities through a committee. Establish GPS and bar-coding at Common biomedical waste treatment facilities.

Conclusion

• To encourage start-ups and SMEs developing solutions for Covid-19 waste segregation and treatment, the government should offer incentives.
• The central and state PCBs, health departments, and a high-level task team at the central level, with coordination by CPCB, should monitor the situation constantly and regularly.