Biomedical wastes
- July 21, 2022
- Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
- Category: DPN Topics
Biomedical wastes
Subject : Environment
Section :Pollution
Context: Biomedical waste is a universal problem
Concept:
To protect human health and the environment, the Ministry of Environment and Forests had notified the Bio-Medical Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 1998 under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 (29 of 1986) and later notified Bio-medical Waste Management Rules, 2016.
What are Biomedical waste?
- Bio Medical Waste Management Rules, (BMWM), 2016 defines Bio Medical Waste as any Waste generated during the diagnosis, treatment or immunization of human being and animals, in research activities or in production or testing of Biological.
- Bio Medical Waste is categorized into four categories Yellow, Red, Blue and White and needs special consideration during its handling, storage, transportation treatment and disposal specific to its color code.
- BMWM Rules 2016 specify the statutory responsibility of waste management of Waste generator, Occupier of Health care establishment, Common Facility operator, SPCB and stake holder departments responsible for BMW management at both Central and state government, in accordance with the provisions of BMW Rules and Guidelines issued by CPCB & SPCB.
| Categories of Biomedical wastes | |||
| Category | Type of waste | Type of bag | Type of disposal |
| YELLOW | Human tissues, organs, body parts and fetus below the viability period (as per the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act 1971, amended from time to time). Soiled Waste: Items contaminated with blood, body fluids like dressings, plaster casts, cotton swabs and bags containing residual or discarded blood and blood components. | Yellow coloured non-chlorinated plastic bags | incineration/plasma pyrolysis/deep-buria |
| RED | Contaminated Waste (Recyclable) Wastes generated from disposable items such as tubing, bottles, intravenous tubes and sets, catheters, urine bags, syringes (without needles and fixed needle syringes ) and vaccutainers with their needles cut) and gloves. | Red coloured non-chlorinated plastic bags or containers | auto claving /microwaving/chemical disinfection |
| WHITE | Waste sharps including Metals: Needles, syringes with fixed needles, needles from needle tip cutter or burner, scalpels, blades, or any other contaminated sharp object that may cause puncture and cuts. This includes both used, discarded and contaminated metal sharps | Puncture proof, Leak proof, tamper proof container | sterilization and shredding, disinfection followed by burial in concrete pit/recycling through foundry/encapsulation |
| BLUE | Glassware: Broken or discarded and contaminated glass including medicine vials and ampoules except those contaminated with cytotoxic wastes Cardboard boxes with blue colored marking Disinfection (by soaking the washed glass waste after cleaning with detergent and Sodium Hypochlorite treatment) or through autoclaving or microwaving or hydroclaving and then sent for recycling. Metallic Body Implants | Cardboard boxes with blue colored marking | washing, disinfection |