Topic:- Biomedical waste

management
Roll no:- 30
Introduction
The waste generated in various
hospitals and healthcare facilities,
including the waste of industries, can be
grouped under biomedical waste
(BMW). The constituents of this type of
waste are various infectious and
hazardous materials. This waste is then
identified, segregated, and treated
scientifically. There is an inevitable need
for healthcare professionals to have
adequate knowledge and a proper
attitude towards BMW and its
management. BMW generated can
either be solid or liquid waste comprising
infectious or potentially infectious
materials, such as medical, research, or
laboratory waste. There is a high
possibility that inappropriate
management of BMW can cause
infections to healthcare workers, the
patients visiting the facilities, and the
surrounding environment and
community. BMW can also be classified
into general, pathological, radioactive,
chemical, infectious, sharps,
pharmaceuticals, or pressurized wastes.
India has well-established rules for the
proper handling and management of
BMW. Biomedical Waste Management
Rules, 2016 (BMWM Rules, 2016)
specify that every healthcare facility
shall take all necessary steps to ensure
that BMW is handled without any
adverse effect on human and
environmental health

Introduction & Background

The amount of daily biomedical waste

(BMW) produced in India is

enormous [1]. People from all segments
of society, regardless of age, sex,
ethnicity, or religion, visit hospitals,
which results in the production of BMW,
which is becoming increasingly copious
and heterogeneous [2]. BMW produced
in India is about 1.5-2 kg/bed/day [3].
BMW include anatomical waste, sharps,
laboratory waste, and others and, if not
carefully segregated, can be fatal.
Additionally, inappropriate segregation
of dirty plastic, a cytotoxic and
recyclable material, might harm our
ecosystem [4]. Earlier, BMW was not
considered a threat to humans and the
environment. In the 1980s and 1990s,
fears about contact with infectious
microorganisms such as human
immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and
hepatitis B virus (HBV) prompted

people to consider the potential risks of

BMW [5]. BMW is hazardous in nature
as it consists of potential viruses or
other disease-causing microbial
particles; it may be present in human
samples, blood bags, needles, cotton
swabs, dressing material, beddings, and
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others. Therefore, the mismanagement
of BMW is a community health problem.
The general public must also take
specific actions to mitigate the rising
environmental degradation brought on
by negligent BMW management. On
July 20, 1998, BMW (Management and
Handling) Rules were framed. On March
28, 2016, under the Environment
(Protection) Act, 1986, the Ministry of
Environment and Forest (MoEF)
implemented the new BMW Rules
(2016) and replaced the earlier one
(1988). BMW produced goes through a

new protocol or approach that helps in

its appropriate management in terms of
its characterization, quantification,
segregation, storage, transport, and
treatment.

Definition
"Bio-medical waste" means any waste,
which is generated during thediagnosis,
treatment or immunization of human
beings or animals or research activities
pertaining thereto or in the production or
testing of biological or in health camps.
"Bio-Medical Waste Treatment and
Disposal Facility" means any facility
wherein treatment, disposal of bio-
medical waste or processes incidental

to such treatment and disposal is

carried out, and includes common bio-
medical waste treatment faciliti

Types of Biomedical
Waste
The World Health Organization
(WHO) has categorized biomedical
waste into eight categories. They are:

Infectious Waste – Any biomedical

waste that is infectious or contaminated.
Sharps – Sharps objects like needles,
scalpels, broken glass, and razors.

Pathological Waste – Body parts of

humans or animals, including tissues,

fluids, or blood.

Pharmaceutical Waste – Unused

drugs, medicine, or creams that are
expiring.

Genotoxic Waste – Toxic drugs and

hazardous toxic waste

Radioactive Waste – Any waste

containing potentially radioactive
materials

Chemical Waste – Liquid waste from

machines, batteries, and disinfectants is
chemical.
General/Other Waste – All other non-
hazardous waste.

Categories in biomedical waste

management
See photo

Biomedical waste treatment

system

Biomedical waste treatment system

should comprise of

Segregation at source,

Storage in color-code containers,

Systematic collection,

Transportation to treatment site,

Treatment considering the type of

waste and

Disposal considering the type of waste.

Segregation

Bio Medical Waste

Management Rules in
India
The management of bio-medical
waste in India is regulated by the Bio-
Medical Waste Management Rules,
which were formulated in 1998 and
amended in 2016. These rules provide
guidelines for the segregation,
collection, transportation, and treatment
of biomedical waste.

Hospital Waste Management

According to the rules, all healthcare
facilities, including hospitals, nursing
homes, clinics, and laboratories, are
required to properly segregate
biomedical waste and store it in
designated containers.

This hospital waste or medical waste

should then be collected by authorized
waste management companies and
transported to approved treatment and
disposal facilities.

The rules also specify the types of

treatment and disposal methods that
can be used for different categories of
biomedical waste, such as incineration,
autoclaving, and microwave treatment.
These methods are designed to
effectively sterilize the waste and render
it safe for disposal.
Other rules include
Bio-Medical Waste (BMW)
Management Rules, 2016 –
Salient Features
Bio-medical waste has been classified
into 4 categories instead

of 10 to improve the segregation of

waste at source.
Phase-out the use of chlorinated plastic
bags, gloves, and blood bags within two
years.

The ambit of the rules has been

expanded to include vaccination camps,
blood donation camps, surgical camps,
or any other healthcare activity.

Pre-treatment of the laboratory waste,

microbiological waste, blood samples,
and blood bags through disinfection or
sterilization on-site in the manner as
prescribed by WHO or NACO.

State Government to provide land for

setting up common bio-medical waste

treatment and disposal facilities.

No occupier shall establish an on-site

treatment and disposal facility if a
service of `common bio-medical waste
treatment facility is available at a
distance of seventy-five kilometer.
The new rules prescribe more stringent
standards for an incinerator to reduce
the emission of pollutants in the
environment;

Inclusion of emissions limits for Dioxin

and furans;

Establish a Bar-Code System for bags

or containers containing bio-

medical waste for disposal.

Provide training to all its health care

workers and immunize all health workers
regularly.

Need for BMW management in

hospitals
BMW threatens the health of medical
staff, hospital-visiting patients, and
people in the nearby community.
Improper disposal leads to severe
hospital-acquired diseases along with
an increased risk of air and water
pollution. Due to open-space waste
disposal practices, animals and
scavengers might get infected, leading
to the scattering of waste and the

spreading of infections. In countering

such activities, four major principle
functions of BMW management are
applicable: the placement of bins at the
source of generation of BMW,
segregation of BMW, removal or
mutilation of the recyclable waste, and
disinfection of the waste [10]. BMW
management methods aim
predominantly to avoid the generation of
waste and, if generated, then recover as
much as possible [11]

Environment
(Protection) Act, 1986
The Environment (Protection) Act was
enacted in the year 1986. It was enacted
with the main objective to provide the
protection and improvement

of the environment and for matters

connected therewith.

India’s original Constitution did not

contain any provision for the protection
of the natural environment. However,
the Fundamental Duties, which were
added by the 42nd Amendment to the
Constitution, prescribed the protection
of the environment including forests,
lakes, rivers and wildlife as a duty of the
citizens of the country.
Aims and Objectives of the
Environment Protection Act
The chief aims and objectives of the
Environment Protection Act, 1986 are
listed below.
Implementing the decisions made at

the United Nations Conference on

Human Environment held in Stockholm.

Creation of a government authority to

regulate industry that can issue direct
orders including closure orders.8

Coordinating activities of different

agencies that are operating under the
existing laws.

Enacting regular laws for the protection

of the environment.

Imposing punishments and penalties on

those who endanger the environment,
safety and health. For each failure or
contravention, the punishment includes
a prison term

of up to five years or a fine of up to Rs.

1 lakh, or both. This can also be

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extended for up to seven years in cases.

Engaging in the sustainable

development of the environment.

Attaining protection of the right to life

under Article 21 of the Constitution.

Main Provisions of
Environment Protection Act
The EPA empowers the Centre to “take
all such measures as it deems
necessary” in the domain of
environmental protection.

Under the law, it can coordinate and

execute nationwide programmes and
plans to further environmental
protection.

It can mandate environmental quality

standards, particularly those concerning

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the emission or discharge of
environmental pollutants.

This law can impose restrictions on the

location of industries.

The law gives the government the power

of entry for examination, testing of
equipment and other purposes and
power to analyse the sample of air,
water, soil or any other substance from
any place.

The EPA explicitly bars the discharge of

environmental pollutants in excess of
prescribed regulatory standards.

There is also in place a specific

provision for handling hazardous
substances, which is prohibited unless
in compliance with regulatory
requirements.

The Act empowers any person, apart

from authorised government officers, to
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file a complaint in a court regarding any
contravention of the provisions of the
Act.

Conclusions
BMW is generated by healthcare
facilities and can be hazardous and
infectious. Improper handling can lead to
health hazards. Collection, segregation,
transportation, treatment, and disposal
of BMW are important steps in its
management. The color coding of bins,
the use of technologies such as
incineration and autoclaving, and
attention to environmental impacts are
also highly crucial. BMW management
aims to reduce waste volume and
ensure proper disposal. All those
involved should strive to make the
environment safer.