The Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change on 28th March 2016 notified the Bio-Medical Waste Management Rules, 2016.
The new set of Rules will replace the Bio-Medical Waste (Management & Handling) Rules, 1998.
Highlights of the Bio-Medical Waste Management Rules, 2016
• Biomedical waste was defined as human & animal anatomical waste, treatment apparatus like needles, syringes and other materials used in health care facilities in the process of treatment & research.
• This waste is generated during diagnosis, treatment and immunisation in hospitals, nursing homes, pathological laboratories, blood bank, etc.
• The objective of the new set of rules is to properly manage the 484 tons per day bio-medical waste from 168869 healthcare facilities (HCFs) across the country.
• The ambit of the rules has been expanded to include vaccination camps, blood donation camps, surgical camps and any other healthcare activity.
• Use of chlorinated plastic bags, gloves and blood bags will be phased out within 2 years.
• Pre-treatment of the laboratory waste, microbiological waste, blood samples & blood bags through disinfection or sterilisation on site in the manner as prescribed by World Health Organization (WHO) or The National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO)
• All health care workers will be provided training & immunization regularly.
• A Bar Code System for bags or containers containing bio-medical waste for disposal will be established.
• Existing incinerators to achieve the standards for retention time in secondary chamber and Dioxin and Furans within 2 years.
• Bio-medical waste has been classified in to Four categories instead of the existing Ten categories to improve the segregation of waste at source.
• Procedure to get authorisation simplified. Automatic authorisation for bedded hospitals will be allowed. The validity of authorization synchronised with validity of consent orders for bedded healthcare facilities.
• The new rules prescribe more stringent standards for incinerator to reduce the emission of pollutants in environment.
• Emissions limits for Dioxin & furans were prescribed.
• State Government will provide land for setting up common bio-medical waste treatment & disposal facility.
• No occupier shall establish on-site treatment and disposal facility, if a service of `common bio-medical waste treatment facility is available at a distance of 75 KM.
• Operator of a common bio-medical waste treatment and disposal facility has to ensure the timely collection of bio-medical waste from the HCFs and assist the HCFs in conduct of training.
Union Government notified Bio-Medical Waste Management Rules, 2016
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