BIOMEDICAL

WASTE
MANAGEMENT
Dr.M.Vinodhini
Assistant Professor, Department of Biochemistry,
SRCW, Coimbatore.
 DEFINITIONS
• Hospital waste refers to all waste, biological or non‐
biological that is discarded and not intended for further use.
• Bio‐medical waste means any waste, which is generated
during the diagnosis, treatment or immunization of human
beings or animals or in research activities pertaining thereto
or in the production or testing of biologicals, and including
categories mentioned in Schedule I.
• Infectious waste: The wastes which contain pathogens in
sufficient concentration or quantity that could cause diseases.
It is hazardous e.g. culture and stocks of infectious agents
from laboratories, waste from surgery, waste originating from
infectious patients.
CLASSIFICATION OF BIO‐MEDICAL
WASTE
 SOURCES OF BIO MEDICAL WASTE
• Hospitals
• Nursing homes
• Clinics
• Medical laboratories
• Blood banks
• Mortuaries
• Medical research & training centers
• Biotechnology institution/production units
• Animal houses etc.
• Such a waste can also be generated at home if health care is
being provided there to a patient (e.g. injection, dressing
material etc.)
 CATEGORIES OF BIO‐MEDICAL WASTE
Option Waste Category Treatment & Disposal

Category No. I Human Anatomical Waste (human tissues, organs, incineration/deep

body parts) burial
Category No. 2 Animal Waste (animal tissues, organs, body parts incineration/deep
carcasses, bleeding parts, fluid, blood and experimental burial
animals used in research, waste generated by veterinary
hospitals colleges, discharge from hospitals, animal
houses)
Category No 3 Microbiology & Biotechnology Waste (wastes from local
laboratory cultures, stocks or specimens of micro‐ autoclaving/micro‐
organisms live or attenuated vaccines, human and waving/incineration
animal cell culture used in research and infectious
agents from research and industrial laboratories, wastes
from production of biologicals, toxins, dishes and
devices used for transfer of cultures)
Category No 4 Waste sharps (needles, syringes, scalpels, blades, disinfection (chemical
glass, etc. that may cause puncture and cuts. This treatment/autoclavin
includes both used and unused sharps) g/microwaving and
mutilation/shredding
Category No 5 Discarded Medicines and Cytotoxic drugs incineration/destruction and
(wastes comprising of outdated, drugs disposal in secured
contaminated and discarded medicines) landfills

Category No 6 Soiled Waste (Items contaminated with blood, Incineration/

and body fluids including cotton, dressings, autoclaving/microwaving
soiled plaster casts, lines, beddings, other
material contaminated with blood)

Category No. 7 Solid Waste (wastes generated from disinfection by chemical

disposable items other than the waste treatment/autoclaving/
sharps such as tubings, catheters, microwaving and mutilation/
intravenous sets etc). shredding
Category No. 8 Liquid Waste (waste generated from disinfection by chemical
laboratory and washing, cleaning, house‐ treatment and discharge into
keeping and disinfecting activities). drains
Category No. 9 Incineration Ash (ash from incineration of disposal in municipal landfill
any bio‐medical waste)
Category No. 10 Chemical Waste (chemicals used in Chemical discharge into drains
production of biologicals, chemicals used in for liquids and secured landfill
disinfection, as insecticides, etc.) for solids
 COLOR
Color coding
CODING
Type of Waste categories
container
Yellow Plastic bags Cat 1 human anatomical
waste Cat 2 Animal Waste
Cal 3 Microbiological
Waste Cat 6 Solid Waste

Red Disinfected container Cat 3

plastic bags Microbiological
Cat. 6 Soiled
Dressing

Blue/white Plastic bags, puncture proof Cat. 4 Waste sharp

containers Cat.7 Plastic
disposable

Black Do Cat. 5 Discarded

medicine Cat. 9
Incineration ash Cat 10
Chemical Waste
 TRANSPORTATION AND STORAGE
• The waste may be temporarily stored at the central storage area of the hospital
and from there it may be sent in bulk to the site of final disposal once or twice a
day depending upon the quantum of waste. During transportation following
points should be taken care of:
• Ensure that waste bags/containers are properly sealed and labeled.
• Bags should not be filled completely, so that bags can be picked up by the neck
again for further handling. Hand should not be put under the bag. At a time only
one bag should be lifted.
• Manual handling of waste bags should be minimized to reduce the risk of needle
prick injury and infection.
• BMW should be kept only in a specified storage area.
• After removal of the bag, clean the container including the lid with an
appropriate disinfectant.
• Waste bags and containers should be removed daily from wards / OPDs or even
more frequently if needed (as in Operation Theatres, ICUs, labour rooms). Waste
bags should be transported in a covered wheeled containers or large bins in covered
trolleys.
• No untreated bio‐medical waste shall be kept stored beyond a period of
48 hours
 TRANSPORT TO FINAL DISPOSAL SITE
• Transportation from health care establishment to the site of final disposal in a
closed motor vehicle (truck, tractor‐trolley etc.) is desirable as it prevents spillage
of waste on the way.
• Vehicles used for transport of BMW must have the “Bio‐Hazard” symbol and
these vehicles should not be used for any other purpose.
 DISPOSAL OF BIOMEDICAL WASTE
• Deep burial:

– Category 1 and 2 only

– In cities having less than 5 lakh population & rural area.

• Autoclave and microwave treatment

– Standards for the autoclaving and microwaving are also mentioned in the
Biomedical waste (Management and Handling) Rules 1998.

– All equipment installed/shared should meet these specifications.

– Category 3, 4, 6 and 7 can be treated by these techniques.

• Shredding:

– The plastic (I.V. bottles, I.V. sets, syringes, catheters etc.), sharps (needles, blades, glass etc)
should be shredded but only after chemical treatment/microwaving/autoclaving.

– Needle destroyers can be used for disposal of needles directly without chemical treatment.

• Land disposal:

– Open dumps

– Secured/Sanitary landfill: advantages.

– The incinerator ash, discarded medicines, cytotoxic
substances and solid chemical waste should be treated by this option.
 INCINERATIO
N
• A high temperature dry oxidation process, which reduces organic and combustible waste
to inorganic incombustible matter.

• Usually used for the waste that can not be reused, recycled or disposed of in landfill site.

• The incinerator should be installed and made operational as per specification under the
BMW rules 1998

• Certificate may be taken from CPCB/State Pollution Control Board

• Category 1, 2, 3, 5, and 6 can be incinerated.

Characteristics of waste suitable for incineration are:
 Low heating volume

 above 2000 Kcal/Kg for single chamber incinerators and

 above 3500 Kcal/Kg for pyrolytic double chamber incinerators.

 Content of combustible matter above 60%.

 Content of non combustible matter below 50%.

 Content of non combustible fines below 20%.

 Moisture content below 30%.

• Waste types not to be incinerated are:

 Pressurized gas containers.

 Large amount of reactive chemical wastes.

 Silver salts and photographic or radiographic wastes.

 Halogenated plastics such as PVC.

 Waste with high mercury or cadmium content such as broken thermometers,

used batteries.

 Sealed ampoules or ampoules containing heavy metals.

 SAFETY
• All the generators ofMEASURES
biomedical waste should adopt universal
precautions and appropriate safety measures while handling the bio‐
medical waste.

• It should be ensured that:

 drivers, collectors and other handlers are aware of the nature and risk
of the waste.

 written instructions provided regarding the procedures to be adopted

in the event of spillage/ accidents.

 protectivegears provided and instructions regarding their uses

are given.

 workers are protected by vaccination against tetanus and

hepatitis B.
Thank You