38 Biomedical Waste (management and handling) rules

AG Murugesan

epgp books

 

OBJECTIVES:

  • After studying this chapter, we will be able to
  • What are biomedical waste
  • Concept of biomedical waste management Steps of biomedical waste management
  • Segregation and proper disposal

 

1.0 INTRODUCTION:

 

Bio-Medical Wastes refers to the waste materials that come from health care institutions such as hospitals, clinics, diagnostics and medical research laboratories, animal houses, veterinary hospitals etc. The biomedical waste is generated during treatment process, diagnosis, and research activities done on animals, from human anatomical wastes, from laboratories and blood and sharps.

 

Biomedical waste materials are as follows:

Used Needles, Syringes, Blood and Blood Bags, Urine Collection Bags, Glucose Bottles, Bandages, Chemicals, Drugs, Body Parts and Tissues

 

1.1 HARMFUL EFFECTS OF BIOMEDICAL WASTES:

 

Biomedical wastes are bio-hazardous in nature as they are infection causing and pathological in nature. These kinds of wastes are vectors of number of diseases so they promote the growth of different pathogens causing contamination and infection. They are the sources of spreading dreadful infectious diseases such as Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), Hepatitis B, Septicemia and other life threatening infections. Hence proper handling and management of biomedical waste is very crucial.

 

Considering potential risk of the biomedical waste to the healthy individuals, the handling and management of biomedical waste was regarded to be a serious issue. Biomedical waste amounts to 1.5% to 2% of the total municipal solid waste generated in the urban areas. When these wastes come in contact with other wastes, they easily contaminate other waste and pose serious threat to not only rag pickers and works but also common public. To prevent emergence of various diseases due to mismanagement of bio medical waste to manage the waste property in hospitals and health care establishments UNION GOVT OF INDIA, Ministry of Environment and Forests notified and implemented Biomedical Waste Management and handling rules in 1998 and it had been in force for many years but it suffered several challenges due to improper management, lack of workers, insufficient infrastructure and finance. The Ministry of Environment & Forests therefore made some amendments and issued new draft Bio-Medical Waste (Management & Handling) Rules, 2011 on 21st September 2011 under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. With further more amendments, this rule is now in force as Bio-Medical Waste Management Rules 2016.

 

The Bio Medical Waste (Management & Handling) Rules, 2011 consists of 17 rules along with 6 schedules and 6 application forms formats (BMW Rules, 2011).

 

Table 1. Various rules under BMW (M&H) rules 2011.

 

Rule No. Content

 

Rule 1 Short title

 

Rule 2 Application

 

Rule 3 Definitions

 

Rule 4 Duties of the Occupier

 

Rule 5 Duties’ of the operator of a common bio-medical waste treatment facility

 

Rule 6 Responsibilities of authorities

 

Rule 7 Treatment and disposal

 

Rule 8 Segregation, packaging, transportation and storage

 

Rule 9 Prescribed authority

 

Rule 10 Procedure for authorization

 

Rule 11 Advisory Committee

 

Rule 12 Annual report

 

Rule 13 Maintenance of records

 

Rule 14 Accident reporting

 

Rule 15 Appeal

 

Rule 16 Common disposal or incineration sites

 

Rule 17 Liability of the occupier or operator of a facility

 

Table 2. Various schedules under BMW (M&H) rules 2011.

 

Schedule No. Related rules Content

 

Schedule I Rule 4,7 Different category of Biomedical waste Schedule II Rule 8 Colour coding and types of container to be used for the disposal of biomedical waste

 

Schedule III Rule 8 Labelling for biomedical waste containers/ bags

 

Schedule IV Rule 8 Labelling for transportation of biomedical waste containers/ bags

 

Schedule V Rule 7, schedule I Standards for treatment of disposal of BMW

 

i. Standards for incinerators

 

(a): Operating standards

(b): Emission standard

 

ii.   Standards for waste autoclaving

 

iii.   Standards for liquid waste

 

iv.  Standards for microwaving

 

v.  Standards for deep burial.

 

Schedule VI Rule 6 List of various authorities and their duties

 

2. CONCEPT MAP FOR BIO MEDICAL MANAGEMENT

3. IMPLEMENTATION OF BIO-MEDICAL WASTES HANDLING RULES:

 

3.1 Application of Biomedical Wastes Handling Rules:

  1. It is applicable to all those who generate, receive, collect, transport, store, treat and dispose Bio – Medical Waste in an approved manner.

 

Hospitals, clinics, Nursing Homes, Dispensaries, laboratories, Veterinary Institutions, Animal Houses, Blood Banks, Medical Colleges, Forensic and Research Labs.

 

3.2 Exempted Areas or Not Applicable to:

 

1.      Radioactive wastes under Atomic Energy Act-1962 C.

 

2.      Hazardous Chemicals Rules 1989 (Manufacture Storage and Import).

 

3.      Solid Wastes under Municipal solid wastes rules 2000.

 

4.      Batteries Rules 2001.

 

5.      Hazardous Wastes Rules 2008.

 

6.      E-Waste Rules 2011.

 

7.      Hazardous Microbes.

 

8.      Genetically modifies microorganisms and the cells enclosed under manufacture, import, use, export, storage of hazardous microbes, genetically engineered microbes of cell rules 1989.

 

The present biomedical waste management rules details about significant features of act, animal house, authorized person, bio-medical wastes treatment and disposal facility, form, healthcare facility, handling, major accident, management, occupier, operator of common bio-medical waste treatment facility, prescribed authority, schedule.

 

According to biomedical waste management rules, the discarded wastes must be isolated at the source of waste generation. Different types of waste must be kept in specially designed containers (waste bags) with suitable colour coding and disposed as prescribed in Schedule I, [as per rules 3 (e), 4(b), 7(1), 7(2), 7(5), 7 (6) and 8(2)] Part-1 as follows

5. CATERGORIES OF BIO – MEDICAL WASTES & THEIR TREATMENTAND DISPOSAL:

 

Bio-Medical Waste that comes from households during healthcare activities should be isolated as per the rules. The wastes are dispensed in separate bags or containers to municipal waste collectors. Urban Local Bodies should have a tie up with the common bio-medical waste treatment and disposal facility for the pickup of this waste from the Material Recovery Facility or directly from the house hold for final dumping in the manner as approved in this Schedule.

 

6.0 TREATMENT AND DISPOSAL

 

  1. Bio-medical waste must be treated and discarded in accordance with Schedule I and with the standards approved in Schedule V.
  2. Where required each occupier, must set up according to the time-schedule in the Schedule VI. Obligatory bio-medical waste treatment facilities like incinerator, microwave system for the treatment of waste and autoclave make certain mandatory treatment of waste at the general waste treatment facility or any other waste management facility

The following procedures for the disposal of various types of biomedical wastes are as follows:

 

Incineration : Incineration is a controlled combustion process in which the waste is completely oxidized and microorganisms, if present are destroyed and denatured at high temperature

 

Autoclaving: Autoclaving is a low-heat thermal process in which steam is brought into contact with the waste under pressure for a sufficient duration of time.

 

Microwaving: Microwave ovens having radiation frequency between 300MHz and 300, 0000 MHz are used for treating waste.

 

Shredding: In shredding, waste is cut into smaller blocks and disinfected. The shredded material is then stored in landfills.

 

Secure landfills: A secure landfill is a specially designed pit (of dimension 50x50x 10m3) from which hazardous wastes cannot escape into open air or mix with groundwater. The sides of the pit are lined with an impermeable membrane such as plastic. The solid waste is carefully placed in the pit, spread out and compacted with heavy machinery. The waste is then covered with a layer of compacted soil. The process is repeated till the pit is full. It is then closed by cement concrete.

 

Deep well injection: Deep well injection is a technology of disposing waste, mostly liquid, in which treated or untreated water is poured through pipes running down several thousand feet from the ground level. The water is injected into highly saline regions under the earth so that the contaminants do not migrate to pollute freshwater aquifers.

 

7.0 SEGREGATION, PACKAGING, TRANSPORTATION AND STORAGE

  1. Bio-medical waste must not be mixed with other wastes.
  2. Bio-medical waste should be isolated in the containers or bags at the source of generation in compliance with Schedule II. It is done prior to its storage, transport, treatment and final disposal. The containers must be appropriately labeled as prescribed in Schedule III.
  3. In case the container is transported from the location of biomedical waste generation to any waste management facility outside the site, the container must be separate from the label approved in Schedule III. It shall also carry information prescribed in Schedule IV.
  4. In spite of anything contained in the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, or rules there under, the untreated biomedical waste must be transported only in prescribed vehicle as may be sanctioned for the purpose by the competent authority as specified by the government of India.
  5. The biomedical waste which is not treated must not be kept stored beyond the period of 48 hours, unless in any case it becomes obligatory to store the waste beyond that period. The authorized person shall take consent the approved authority and take actions to make certain that the waste does not negatively affect human health and the environment.

 

SCHEDULE-II

 

STANDARDS FOR TREATMENT AND DISPOSAL OF BIO-MEDICAL WASTES

 

STANDARDS FOR INCINERATION:

 

A. Operating Standards such as Combustion Efficiency shall be at least 99.00%.

 

B. The operating Temperature for the primary chamber is minimum of 800°C and secondary chamber minimum 1050°C + or – 50°C.

 

C. The gas residence time in secondary chamber should be at least two seconds.

 

D. Emission Standards: For Particulate matter, Nitrogen Oxides (NO) and hcl, Dioxins and Furans and Mercury (Hg) and its compounds.

 

E. Stack Heights should be 30 meters above the ground level.

 

In addition to this Schedule – II deals with the operating standards for gasification and plasma pyrolysis, air emission standards, air pollution control measures, disposal of ash vitrified material, standards for autoclaving of bio-medical wastes, validation test for autoclave, recording of operational parameters, routine test, spore testing, standards of microwaving, standards for deep burial, Standards for efficacy of chemical disinfection, standards for dry heat sterilization and Standards for liquid waste.

 

SCHEDULE-III

 

Deals with PRESCRIBED AUTHORITIES AND THEIR CORRESPONDING DUTIES

 

SCHEDULE-IV

 

Part-A: Deals with Label for Bio-Medical Waste Containers or Bags

 

Part-B: Label for Transporting Bio-Medical Waste Bags or Containers

 

Form-I:  Deals with Accident Reporting.

 

Form-II: Deals with Application for Authorization or Renewal.

 

Form-III: Deals with Authorization.

 

Form-IV: Deals with Annual Report.

 

Form-V: Deals with Appeal against order passed by prescribed authority.

 

SUMMARY

 

At the end of this module, we have studied about

  • biomedical waste
  • Concept of biomedical waste management Steps of biomedical waste management
  • Segregation and proper disposal
you can view video on Biomedical Waste (management and handling) rules

REFERENCES:

  1. Biomedical Waste Management handling rules 2016 – Gazette of Union Government of India.
  2. Text book of Environmental Pollution and Health, V.K. Ahluvalia.
  3. Park’s Textbook of Preventive and Social Medicine.