Context
Recent discussions on biomedical waste management (BMW) have garnered attention due to growing concerns related to HIV.
About Biomedical Waste Management:
- Biomedical waste refers to waste from healthcare activities, including human/animal anatomical waste, needles, syringes, and other treatment tools.
- Classified as biologically and chemically hazardous, contains biological and microbiological contaminants.
- Treatment and Disposal Methods:
- Incineration: High-temperature burning of waste.
- Plasma Pyrolysis: A process using plasma to break down waste.Deep Burial: Burying non-incinerable waste in deep pits.
- Autoclaving: Sterilization using steam at high pressure.
- Recycling: Processing recyclable biomedical materials.
- Strategies for Enhancement:
- Circular Economy Practices: Encourages a ‘reduce-reuse-recycle’ model instead of ‘take-make-dispose’.
Biomedical Waste Management Provisions:
- Biomedical Waste Management Rules, 2016:
- Includes vaccination camps, blood donation camps, surgical camps under the ambit.Phased out chlorinated plastic bags, gloves, and blood bags (from March 2016).
- Pre-treatment of laboratory waste, microbiological waste, blood samples through disinfection or sterilization as per WHO or NACO guidelines.
- Waste classified into 4 categories for improved segregation.
- Hazardous and Other Wastes (Management and Transboundary Movement) Rules, 2016: Governs the movement and disposal of hazardous biomedical wastes.
- Basel Convention (1989):
- International treaty to reduce transboundary movement of hazardous wastes.
- India is a member but has not ratified the Basel Ban Amendment.
Source: TH
Previous Year Question
As per the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016 in India, which one of the following statements is correct?
[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2019 Prelims]
(a) Waste generator has to segregate waste into five categories.
(b) The Rules are applicable to notified urban local bodies, notified towns and all industrial townships only
(c) The Rules provide for exact and elaborate criteria for the identification of sites for landfills and waste processing facilities.
(d) It is mandatory on the part of the waste generator that the waste generated in one district cannot be moved to another district.
Answer: (c)
