GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
RAJYA SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 1488
TO BE ANSWERED ON 02.08.2021
Common Bio-medical Waste Treatment and Disposal Facilities (CBWTFs)
1488. SHRI JOHN BRITTAS:

(a) whether Government plans to increase the number of Common Bio-medical Waste

Treatment Facility (CBWTF) in the country for treatment and disposal of bio-medical

waste produced due to the pandemic;

(b) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;

(c) whether Government plans to enhance capabilities of already existing CBWTFs; and

(d) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

ANSWER

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

(SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

(a)to(d) The State/ Union Territory Governments are mandated to implement the BioMedical Waste Management Rules, 2016 (BMWM Rules, 2016) in Healthcare

Facilities(HCFs) and Common Bio-medical Waste Treatment Facilities(CBWTFs)

falling under their jurisdiction, including undertaking need assessment for

infrastructure/ facilities required for the purpose. The Central Pollution Control

Board (CPCB) has reported that, at present, 202 CBWTFs are operational and 35

CBWTFs are under construction. The operational CBWTFs are handling the

incremental bio-medical waste (BMW) generated due to pandemic in line with the

CPCB guidelines on- ‘Handling, Treatment and Disposal of Waste Generated

during Treatment/ Diagnosis/ Quarantine of COVID-19 Patients’. Further, in the

matter of O.A. 710/2017 before the Hon’ble National Green Tribunal, the CPCB

has recommended for setting up of CBWTFs in following States/ Union

Territories (UTs):

 States – Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura

 UTs – Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep

The CPCB guidelines have prescribed for extended operation of CBWTFs (in

terms of hours)to treat and dispose-off BMW generated in the country. The

guidelines also prescribe for disposal of yellow color-coded (incinerable) BMW

through Hazardous Waste incinerators in existing Treatment, Storage and

Disposal Facilities or captive industrial incinerators beyond the capacity of

existing CBWTFs and captive BMW incinerators. The State Pollution Control

Boards/ Pollution Control Committees have been authorised for permitting such

cases duly ensuring separate arrangement for COVID19 BMW handling and waste feeding.