INTRODUCTION. Since beginning , the hospitals are known for the treatment of sick persons but we are unaware about the adverse effects of the garbage and fifth generated by them on human body and environment . Now it is a well established fact that hospital waste is a potential health hazard to the health care workers, public and flora and fauna of the area. Biomedical waste management refers to any waste produced during the diagnosis , treatment or immunisation of human beings or animals or related search activities, or during the design or testing of biological ,or in health camps. Biomedical waste include each type of waste generated from the healthcare facility, causing adverse effects to the public health or to the environment if disposed improperly. The act was passed by the Ministry of Environment and Forests in 1986 & notified the bio Medical Waste (Management and handling) Rules in July 1998. in accordance with these rules, it is the duty of every “occupier” i.e a person who h as the control over the institution or its premises, to take all steps to ensure that waste generated is handled without any adverse effect to human health and environment.
OBJECTIVES. FOLLOWING ARE THE AIMS OF ITS MANAGEMENT- To protect the risk of spreading diseases. To protect the health and well-being of health care workers and the community. To protect against injury and potentially fatal infection. To provide the environment -friendly waste management solutions. To promote the quality and sustainability of the environment.
CLASSIFICATION. BIOMEDICAL WASTES ARE CLASSIFIED INTO FOUR CATEGORIES BASED ON COLOUR. YELLOW : This category contains eight types of waste ,i.e. human anatomical waste, animal anatomical waste, solid waste, expired or discarded waste , chemical waste , discarded linen, blood or body fluid contaminated mattresses and beddings, and microbiology , biotechnology, and other clinical laboratory waste. Red : this category contains contaminated recyclable waste, like those produced by disposable products, i.e. tubing, bottles, intravenous tubesand sets , urine bags, syringes, and gloves. White(Translucent) : this category contains sharps waste including used, contaminated and discarded metal sharps. Blue : This category contains metallic body implants as well as damaged , contaminated or discarded glass.
Importance of B iomedical W aste. Segregation , collection and treatment of BMW in an environmentally responsible manner minimizes the negative effects on health care workers and the environment. The amount of BMW produced in India is thought to be between 1-2 kg per hospital bed each day. Only 15% of hospital waste is infectious or hazardous, while 85% of it is non hazardous. Contamination occurs when hazardous waste are mixed with other waste making the entire waste hazardous. Separation and treatment are required because: It reduces risk of infection caused due to improper disposal. It promotes recycling of banned disposables and discarded drugs. It produces resistant micro organisms.
DEFINITIONS. Act : it means the environment (protection) Act, 1986. Animal House: means a place where animals are reared or kept for the purpose of experiments or testing; Authorisation : means permission granted by the prescribed authority for the generation, collection, reception, storage, transportation, treatment, processing, disposal or any other form of handling of biomedical waste in accordance with these rules and guidelines issued by the Central government or Central Pollution Control Board as the case may be; Authorized person : means an occupier or operator authorised by the prescribed authority to generate, collect, receive, store , transport, treat process, dispose or handle biomedical waste in accordance with these rules & the guidelines issued by the Central Government or the Central Pollution Control Board, as the case may be; Biological means any preparation made from organisms or micro-organisms or product of metabolism and biochemicaql reactions intended for use in the diagnosis, immunisation or the treatment of human biengs or animals or in research activities pertaining thereto;
Hospital Waste : Hospital waste refers to all waste , biological or non biological that is discarded and not intended for further use. Biomedical waste : it means any waste, which is generated during the diagnosis, treatment or immunization of human biengs 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 waste 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 , waszte originating from infectious patients.
DUTIES OF THE OCCUPIER IT SHALL BE THE DUTY OF EVERY OCCUPIER TO : Take all necessary steps to ensure that bio-medical waste is handled without any adverse effect to human health and the environment and in accordance with these rule; Make a provision within the premises for a safe , ventilated and secured location for storage of segregated biomedical waste in colored bags or containers in the manner as specified in schedule I to ensure that there shall be no secondary handling, pilferage of recyclables or inadvertent scattering or spillage by animals and the bio-medical waste from such place or premises shall be directly transported in the manner as prescribed in these rules to the common bio-medical waste treatment facility or for the appropriate treatment and disposal, as the case may be, in the manner as prescribed in schedule I; Pre-treatment the laboratory waste, microbiological waste, blood samples and blood bags through disinfection or sterilization on site- in the manner as prescribed by the World Health Organization (WHO) or National AIDs control organization (NACO) guidelines and then sent to the common biomedical waste treatment