Biomedical waste (BMW) increased across States during the Covid-19 pandemic and their disposal was hampered due to lack of waste treatment facilities.

The Ministry of Environment data presented in the Rajya Sabha early this month shows that the country generated 651.23 tonnes of BMW per day in 2020. Following the Covid-19 pandemic outbreak, the daily BMW output increased by about 962.31 tonnes between May 2020 and March 2022. 

Thus, of the about 1,613.54 tonnes of BMW generated daily during this period, 60 per cent was Covid-related. 

Need for efficient treatment

Environment Ministry data presented to the Lok Sabah last month shows that 208 common biomedical waste treatment facilities ( CBWTFs) were in use countrywide, with most concentrated in a few States. Ten States and Union Territories did not have a single facility.    

The Ministry stated that while the CBWTFs have a combined capacity of 1,167.4 tonnes per day, they were not working to full capacity. Of the about 650 tonnes of BMW generated per day in 2020, 590 tonnes were treated, indicating an efficiency of 89.94 per cent. 

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Kerala tops output

Kerala generated about 40.41 tonnes of BMW per day in 2020 and 178.37 tonnes of Covid-related BMW from May 2020 to March 2022. The State has one CBWTF. Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh also lead in BMW generation. At 30, Maharashtra has the highest number of CBWTFs.  

“The disposal of BMW during the pandemic has been a serious problem. The local governing bodies in urban areas are not equipped to handle the extra load, while in rural areas scientific disposal of BMW is near-impossible,” a medical practitioner said.  

Was the waste treated?

According to the Ministry of Environment, to deal with the additional load of BMW, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has prepared technical guidelines for CBWTFs. 

The guidelines prescribe extended hours of operation and the use of hazardous waste incinerators (at existing treatment, storage, and disposal facilities) or captive industrial incinerators to treat and dispose of yellow colour-coded (incinerable) Covid-19 waste (that is, beyond the capacity of existing CBWTFs and captive BMW incinerators).

To support States and UTs, the Ministry is implementing a scheme — ‘Creation of Management Structure for Hazardous Substances’ — to offer central assistance of ₹1 crore towards CBWTF projects recommended by the States or UTs. In the case of north-eastern States, the central assistance is ₹2 crore. 

Health hazard

According to the WHO, open burning of healthcare wastes is liable to result in emission of dioxins, furans, and particulate matter.

Unsafe disposal and mismanagement of BMW can also lead to release of chemical or biological hazards, including drug-resistant microorganisms, into the environment.