GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO: 910
ANSWERED ON: 23.07.2021
Biomedical Waste
Reddeppa Nallakonda Gari

(a) whether the amount of biomedical waste has seen a significant increase since the COVID-19 pandemic in March, 2020;

(b) if so, the details thereof, State/UT-wise; during the last three years;

(c) whether the Government has taken any steps to effectively and safely handle such biomedical waste from damaging the soil, water and air; and

(d) if so, the details thereof, State/UT-wise?

ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

(SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

(a)&(b) The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has informed that the non-COVID waste generated in the country during 2017-18, 2018-19 and 2019-20 is estimated to be 531 Tons/Day(TPD), 608 TPD and 615 TPD respectively, based on the information provided by State Pollution Control Boards/ Pollution Control Committees (SPCBs/ PCCs). Further, incremental BMW was generated during treatment, diagnosis and quarantine of COVID-19 infected or suspected patients from healthcare facilities, quarantine centres/ camps, sample collection centres, laboratories, home care/home isolations etc. 

As per the information compiled through COVID19 BWM app, a total of 56,898.14 Tons of COVID-19 infected waste was generated between June-2020 to June-2021. The State/ UT-wise information on non-COVID and COVID-19 BMW is provided as below: