GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO: 3066
ANSWERED ON: 06.08.2021
Biomedical Waste
Khagen Murmu

(a) whether regulatory agencies have enough capacity in terms of resources to monitor the handling of biomedical waste/garbage generated in pandemic times;

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

(c) the steps taken by the Government to dispose of biomedical waste scientifically?

ANSWER

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

(SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

(a)&(b) Yes, Sir. The respective State Pollution Control Boards / Pollution Control Committees (SPCBs / PCCs) are mandated to implement and monitor compliance of the Bio-Medical Waste Management Rules, 2016 (BMWM Rules, 2016) within their jurisdiction. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has reported that special drive for monitoring Common Bio-medical Waste Treatment Facilities (CBWTFs) has been undertaken by SPCBs/ PCCs, in pandemic times, wherein out of 202 operational CBWTFs in the country, 187 CBWTFs were monitored. About 100 CBWTFs were observed to be found complying with the provisions of BMWM Rules, 2016 while 65 were partially complying and 22 were non-complying. Action under the provisions of Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 has been taken against defaulting units. 

(c) The bio-medical waste (BMW) generated from healthcare facilities (HCFs), including the COVID-19 BMW generated during treatment/ diagnosis/ quarantine of COVID-19 patients, is managed under the provisions of BMWM Rules, 2016 notified by the Central Government. The Rules facilitate source-segregation, collection, transport and disposal of BMW by waste generators and (CBWTFs). The Rules also stipulate technological options available to treat the source-segregated waste categories and prescribe standards for incinerator stack emission, treated effluent, autoclave/ microwave/ hydro clave and chemical disinfection. An app to track the generation and treatment of COVID-19 BMW is developed namely ‘COVID19BWM’ by CPCB. Further, the CPCB has prepared following guidelines on segregation, treatment and disposal of BMW:

• Management of Healthcare Waste in HCFs as per Biomedical Waste Management Rules, 2016;
• Guidelines for Common Biomedical Waste Treatment Facilities; and
• Handling, Treatment and Disposal of Waste Generated during Treatment/Diagnosis/ Quarantine of COVID-19 Patients