Priscilla
With the increase in developments and improvements in the health-care sector, which is highly commendable, there is also another unwelcomed and undeniable increase. It has increased “Bio-Medical Waste”.
Bio-Medical Waste (BMW) means any waste, which is generated during the diagnosis, treatment or immunisation of human beings or animals or any research activities or in the production or testing of biological or in health camps [Rule 3(f) of the Bio-Medical Waste Management Rules, 2016].
BMW poses a serious threat, not only to the environment but also to health. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), out of the total amount of waste arising from health care activities, 15% of it is considered to be hazardous, toxic or radioactive.
Scenario in India
A joint report of the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham) and Velocity in 2018, has said that, “the total quantity of medical waste generated in India is 550 Tonnes Per Day (TPD)” and has also estimated it to increase, close to a figure of 775.5 TPD by 2022. With these estimates in the picture, there arises a dire necessity to curb this menace.
Law for tackling the issue of BMW
The Bio-Medical Waste Management Rules, 2016 are the only available rules to tackle this problem. The Rules seek to provide a regulatory framework for the management of Bio-Medical Waste, with its main objective being, “ to improve the collection, segregation, processing, treatment and disposal of bio-medical wastes, to effectively reduce bio-medical waste generation and its impact on the environment.”
Definitions of an “authorised person” which includes an ‘Occupier’ or ‘Operator of Common Bio-Medical Waste Treatment Facility’ (CBMWTF) and also ‘prescribed authority’ are found in the Rules.
The Occupier is entrusted with the duty of handling the BMW with due care, whereas the Operator of the CBMWTF must collect it from the Occupier and ensure its transportation, handling, storage, treatment and disposal without any adverse effect to human health and environment, while the prescribed authority should ensure the proper implementation of all the Rules.
The Rules also list out the procedures and methods which need to be followed for proper treatment and disposal, segregation, packaging, transportation and storage of the BMW.
Colour code for categorising Bio-medical wastes
In the Covid -19 era
Additional guidelines were given by the Central Pollution Control Board of India to ensure safe disposal of bio-medical waste generated during treatment, diagnosis and quarantine of patients affected by the coronavirus.
Therefore, with these Rules in effect, it is the duty of all the persons involved in the management of BMW to follow the Rules, with the highest duty resting on the prescribed authority to ensure strict compliance, realizing the adverse impact it would have on health and environment in the event of non-compliance.
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