Updated on October 16, 2024 05:20:28 PM
Biomedical waste management is a section of healthcare operations services that seeks to achieve safe handling, treatment, and disposal of wastes formed from healthcare establishments and industries. This waste comprises used syringes, soiled dressings, human tissues, body fluids, and other articles potentially dangerous to health if proper disposal methods are not observed. It is crucial to note that biomedical waste management is important for healthcare workers, patients, and the public to counter possible exposure to infectious diseases, causative agents, toxic substances, and pollution. It is therefore evident that proper waste management and disposal is highly relevant, as poor handling exposes the community to diseases, pollutes water sources, and has long-term effects on the environment.
Professional Utilities is concerned with the key aspects of biomedical waste management, discussing types of biomedical waste, issues that many healthcare facilities encounter when handling this waste, and measures that can be taken to enhance effective biomedical waste management. From the basic legal requirements to the advanced solutions for biomedical waste disposal, it underlines that the proper disposal of biomedical waste must include not only the regulatory requirements but also the developments of the technologies that would help to achieve better outcomes and provide a safer environment for everyone.
Biomedical waste (BMW) refers to all kinds of waste produced in the diagnosis or treatment of diseases affecting human beings or animals, in the process of vaccination, or in conducting research activities. This waste is pathogenic and toxic; it may cause harm to the health of those who will come into contact with it in case it is not well disposed of. These include used syringes, needles, bandages, human tissues, organs, body fluids, pharmaceutical products, chemicals, and discarded medical equipment.
This biomedical waste, if not disposed of properly, can cause the spread of diseases, pollute water and soil resources, and also expose people to hazardous chemicals. Due to such risks associated with biomedical wastes, standards and protocols have been followed for handling and disposal of these wastes, including segregation, collection, storage, transportation, and disposal. For example, in India, the BioMedical Waste Management Rules, 2016 have given clear guidelines to the healthcare facility to follow the biomedical waste management and disposal system.
Biomedical waste management requires segregation at the source, using containers of different colors depending on the waste, and then disposal through incineration, autoclaving, or microwaving depending on the waste in question. Applied management not only involves safeguarding people's health but also preserving the environment, thus making the environment safer and cleaner.
The following are the benefits of proper biomedical waste management, which is considered to be essential for the health of people, the environment, and the continued functioning of healthcare facilities:
Biomedical waste originates from a variety of sources, which can be broadly categorized into two main types:
The WHO has categorized biomedical waste into eight main streams:
Any person who wants to start a project such as hospitals, dispensaries, pathological laboratories, nursing homes, veterinary institutions, clinics, blood banks, research or pathological laboratories, animal houses, Ayush hospitals, health camps, vaccination camps, first aid rooms, blood donation camps, forensic laboratories, and first aid rooms of schools needs prior permission to do so from the regulatory bodies. Biomedical waste has to be treated and disposed of, and this comes under the purview of SPCB/PCC, and hence it needs to get authorization. As for the first-time applicants, they are granted 3 years’ authorization for bedded health care facilities (HCFs) and permanent authorization for non-bedded health care facilities.
As per the provisions of the tropical law, it is stringent that no person can collect, store, treat, dispose of, or handle Biomedical waste in any form without prior written permission from the PCC.
Gather all the necessary documents required
For the production of biomedical waste, the occupier must fill out Form II as per the Biomedical Waste Rules along with the prescribed processing fees in the form of a demand draft to the Member Secretary of the concerned Pollution Control Committee (PCC) of the state before the start of any work.
The PCC does the field-level check and scrutiny of the application, and then the biomedical waste authorization is issued.
PCC provides biomedical waste authorization to bedded HCFs and non-bedded facilities after satisfying the requirement of the legislation.
The documents required for obtaining biomedical waste authorization typically include:
Granting Authorization under biomedical Waste Management Rule, 2016
| S no. | Conditions | Fees |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Clinics/dispensaries without beds | ₹1,000 |
| 2. | Healthcare facilities having less than 50 beds | ₹3,000 |
| 3. | Healthcare facilities having more than 50 beds but less than 200 beds | ₹5,000 |
| 4. | Healthcare facilities having more than 200 beds | ₹10,000 |
Note: Professional Fees to obtain Biomedical Waste Management Authorization in ₹25,000 (only with Professional Utilities)
Biomedical waste management authorization in India is contentious based on the categorization of the healthcare facility (HCF) and bedded or non-bedded status:
The authorization to be made for the HCF is lost if there are any alterations in the activities of the HCF. The prescribed authority has 90 days to counter the application, and in the absence of such a response, the authorization is deemed to have been granted.
High biomedical waste management is a critical discipline for the protection of the health of the populace, environment conservation, and board compliance. It is a complicated procedure where they have to get permission from the Pollution Control Committee (PCC) to follow proper procedures for handling waste. Healthcare premises are required to provide detailed documents, and the fees and authorizations depend on the term ‘authorizing healthcare facility’ that is classified according to the type of medical institution. This approach enables health risks to be reduced, the environment to be safeguarded from pollution, and is sustainable. Through regulating existing legal requirements and properly managing the Biomedical waste disposal methods, efficient ways of handling Biomedical waste in healthcare facilities are achievable, thus improving the quality of environmental health.
At Professional Utilities, we leverage our industry knowledge and expertise to help businesses navigate complex regulations, minimize risks, and optimize operations for maximum efficiency and profitability.
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Biomedical waste means any kind of waste deriving from medical or research activity that can have an effect on human health. This has such items as used syringes, contaminated dressings, human tissues, body fluids, and any other waste that may be of risk to human beings.
The hazards associated with improper disposal of biomedical waste can lead to increased infection to the public, environmental pollution, and noncompliance with the law.
Some of the primary sources of waste are hospitals, nursing homes, clinics, and laboratories that involve medical procedures and various experiments to produce great amounts of waste.
Secondary generators consist of other establishments such as households, industries, schools, and other organizations that may generate biomedical waste in small quantities.
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