BIO-MEDICAL WASTE MANAGEMENT

CPCB interacted with the State Governments and State Pollution Control Boards for speedy implementation of the Rules on Bio-medical Waste handling and management. The interaction meetings and training/wokshops with the concerned authorities to facilitate implementation of the Rules were organised. So far, 19 States have constituted the prescribed authorities under Bio-medical Wastes (Management & Handling) Rules, 1998.

To assess the bio-medical waste management in Kanpur, CPCB took up a year long study during 1998-99. The medical facility in the city caters about 3.5 million human population and cattle, and includes 40 Govt. hospitals, 3 ESI hospitals, 360 small/big nursing home and maternity clinics, about 1000 Pvt. clinics, 28 ESI dispensaries, 18 Veterinary hospitals and 7 blood banks. The total bed capacity of city is estimated to be 9890, out of which 5670 beds exist in Government hospitals and 4220 beds are available in private hospitals/nursing home. Lala Lajpat Rai (LLR), Urshala Horseman, J.K. Cancer Institute, ESI, Kulwanti and Mariumpur and the main hospitals, TB Hospitals, LLR Maternity are the recognized Government hospitals in the city.

Based on actual quantification carried out in selected hospitals and on basis of questionnaire response from various health centres in Kanpur city, the average per bed waste generation observed in Kanpur is 242 gms/day. Considering the said factor for the city of Kanpur with existing bed capacity. Highly infectious liquid waste like blood, sputum, tissues etc. from laboratories is of about 250 lit./day, besides liquid waste generated from washings of floors, laundries (other than sewage) of about 10 KL/day.

The general practice is to collect the waste irrespective of category or class in one bin and once the bin is filled up, the same is then transferred to another common bin or dumping site inside the premises. No specific area had been designated in the initial plan for dumping. In most cases dumping is being done on open ground. Municipal Corporation is responsible for secondary or final/ultimate dumping. The general code of practice is being followed by the Municipal Corporation is to collect the hospital waste along with domestic waste and final dumping along the road side or in low-lying areas inside the city.

Recommendations

(1) Immediate notification of Authority for granting of consent to the generators and provide technical input to the generators in      respect of proper management and handling of waste.

(2) Investigation and Inventorization of waste generation in all major cities.

(3) Identification of sites for common disposal of waste for less than 50 bed capacity.

(4) Implementation of Rules in all major (more than 50 bed capacity) health centres including installation of incinerators.

(5) Formation of monitoring task force in every city.

(6) Creation of awareness among all including sweepers in all health centres.