New Biomedical Waste Management Rules, 2016
Biomedical waste comprises human and animal anatomical waste, treatment apparatus like needles, syringes and other materials used in health care facilities in the process of treatment and research. This waste is generated during diagnosis, treatment or immunization in hospitals, nursing homes, pathological laboratories, blood bank, etc. Total bio-medical waste generation in the country is 484 TPD from close to 1 lakh 70 thousand healthcare facilities (HCF), out of which 447 TPD is treated.
Scientific disposal of Biomedical Waste through segregation, collection and treatment in an environmentally sound manner minimises the adverse impact on health workers and on the environment. The hospitals are required to put in place the mechanisms for effective disposal either directly or through common biomedical waste treatment and disposal facilities.
The major salient features of BMW Management Rules, 2016 include the following:-
(a) The ambit of the rules has been expanded to include vaccination camps, blood donation camps, surgical camps or any other healthcare activity;
(b) Phase-out the use of chlorinated plastic bags, gloves and blood bags within two years;
(c) Pre-treatment of the laboratory waste, microbiological waste, blood samples and blood bags through disinfection or sterilization on-site in the manner as prescribed by WHO or NACO;
(d) Provide training to all its health care workers and immunize all health workers regularly;
(e) Establish a Bar-Code System for bags or containers containing bio-medical waste for disposal;
(f) Report major accidents;
(g) Existing incinerators to achieve the standards for retention time in secondary chamber and Dioxin and Furans within two years;
(h) Bio-medical waste has been classified in to 4 categories instead 10 to improve the segregation of waste at source;
(i) Procedure to get authorization simplified. Automatic authorization for bedded hospitals. The validity of authorization synchronized with validity of consent orders for Bedded HCFs. One time authorization for Non-bedded HCFs;
(j) The new rules prescribe more stringent standards for incinerator to reduce the emission of pollutants in environment;
(k) Inclusion of emissions limits for Dioxin and furans;
(l) State Government to provide land for setting up common bio-medical waste treatment and disposal facility;
(m) No occupier shall establish on-site treatment and disposal facility, if a service of `common bio-medical waste treatment facility is available at a distance of seventy-five kilometer.
