Overview of Bio-Medical Waste Recycling Plant

A bio-medical waste recycling plant is defined as a specific facility to manage and utilize waste produced during and as a result of medical procedures including diagnosis, therapy, vaccination, and investigation. This waste consist of ranged material such as syringes, bandages, gloves and other instruments that if not managed appropriately can cause threat to health and the environment. This waste is handled carefully for appropriate treatment and disposal at the facility so as to minimize its side effects on the environment and human health; the methods include incineration, autoclaving, and chemical disinfection to eliminate dangerous elements. Thus, the importance of these plants is heightened during pandemics, as observed with COVID-19, where the amount of medical waste generated is significantly higher. It is also important to note that effective management of bio-medical waste reduces the incidence of spread of diseases and thus enhances the overall wellbeing of the society and the environment. Health care centers may require multiple CBWTFs to have centralized treatment system for an extended range of bio-medical waste for more refined and compliance with standard protocols.

Advantages of bio-medical waste recycling plant

• Infection Control: These plants are useful in treatment and disposal of dangerous waste products that are infectious hence minimizing the occurrence of spread of diseases among the users of the services as well as the health care givers.
• Environmental Protection: Effective dealing and disposal of the bio-medical waste minimize the possible effects of polluting the environment. Some of the procedures employed to eliminate dangerous substances include autoclaving and incineration, hence reducing their effects on the available dumpsites and water sources.
• Regulatory Compliance: These facilities help medical institutions to follow stringent rules and regulations set in handling waste and disposal hence helping to avoid cases of legal consequences.
• Cost Efficiency: Regarding the waste treatment, centralized treatment facilities seem to be even more beneficial financially to the providers, because the need for handling and controlling the waste treatment within each institution becomes unnecessary.
• Public Awareness and Education: Due to their ability to fully control the handling and disposal of the medical waste, these plants play a significant role in educating others especially personnel in the health sector to enhance a proper ways of dealing with the medical waste.
• Enhanced Safety: From these plants it can be seen that through the use of the modern technologies and protocols in waste management, there are minimized dangers that come along with handling and moving of wastes which are normally hazardous.

Applicability of rules

These rules shall apply to all persons who generate, collect, receive, store, transport, treat, dispose, or handle bio medical waste in any form including hospitals, nursing homes, clinics, dispensaries, veterinary institutions, animal houses, pathological laboratories, blood banks, ayush hospitals, clinical establishments, research or educational institutions, health camps, medical or surgical camps, vaccination camps, blood donation camps, first aid rooms of schools, forensic laboratories and research labs.

"bio-medical waste treatment and disposal facility" means any facility wherein treatment, disposal of bio-medical waste or processes incidental to such treatment and disposal is carried out, and includes common bio-medical waste treatment facilities;

"bio-medical waste" means any waste, which is generated during the diagnosis, treatment or immunisation of human beings or animals or research activities pertaining thereto or in the production or testing of biological or in health camps, including the categories mentioned in Schedule I appended to these rules;

What are the things covered under Bio-Medical Waste?

• Biological waste from human anatomy, including tissues, organs, and body parts.
• Waste produced from animals during research activities in veterinary clinics Waste materials from microbiological and biotechnological processes.
• Sharps waste, including hypodermic needles, syringes, scalpels, and shattered glass.
• Unused pharmaceuticals and cytotoxic substances Contaminated waste such as dressings, bandages, plaster casts, and materials tainted with blood, as well as tubes and catheters
• Liquid waste originating from any infected zones
• Ash from incineration and various chemical wastes.

Documents required for setting up Bio-Medical Waste Recycling Plant

• Authorization from the State Pollution Control Board or Pollution Control Committee (Rule 10)
• Consent to establish from the State Pollution Control Board or Pollution Control Committee
• Environmental clearance, if required under EIA Notification
• Site clearance from local authorities
• Proof of adequate land for development of the facility (to be provided/allocated by local authorities as per CPCB guidelines)
• Details of treatment equipment to be installed (e.g. autoclave, microwave, shredder etc.) as per standards specified in Schedule I and II
• Standard operating procedures for handling, treatment and disposal of different categories of bio-medical waste
• Environmental management plan
• Occupational safety plan for workers
• Details of qualified staff to be employed (including for operation of treatment equipment)
• Plan for segregation, packaging, transportation and storage of bio-medical waste as per Schedule I
• Arrangements for treatment of effluents to meet prescribed standards
• Plan for record keeping and submission of annual reports
• Emergency response plan
• Undertaking to comply with prescribed emission and effluent standards
• Arrangement with registered recyclers for recyclable waste
• Bar coding and GPS system for handling bio-medical waste
• Plan for conducting training programs for staff and healthcare facilities
• Details of arrangements for final disposal of treated wastes

Process for Application for Bio-Medical Waste Recycling Plant

Every occupier or operator handling bio-medical waste, irrespective of the quantity shall make an application in Form II to the prescribed authority i.e. State Pollution Control Board and Pollution Control Committee, as the case may be, for grant of authorisation and the prescribed authority shall grant the provisional authorisation in Form III and the validity of such authorisation for bedded health care facility and operator of a common facility shall be synchronised with the validity of the consents.

The authorisation shall be one time for non-bedded occupiers and the authorisation in such cases shall be deemed to have been granted, if not objected by the prescribed authority within a period of ninety days from the date of receipt of duly completed application along with such necessary documents.

• In case of refusal of renewal, cancellation or suspension of the authorisation by the prescribed authority, the reasons shall be recorded in writing: Provided that the prescribed authority shall give an opportunity of being heard to the applicant before such refusal of the authorisation.
• Every application for authorisation shall be disposed of by the prescribed authority within a period of ninety days from the date of receipt of duly completed application along with such necessary documents, failing which it shall be deemed that the authorisation is granted under these rules.
• In case of any change in the bio-medical waste generation, handling, treatment and disposal for which authorisation was earlier granted, the occupier or operator shall intimate to the prescribed authority about the change or variation in the activity and shall submit a fresh application in Form II for modification of the conditions of authorisation.

Procedure for Setting up Bio-Medical Waste Recycling Plant

1) Site Selection:

• Obtain suitable land for developing the facility in consultation with the local municipality/urban local body.
• Ensure the site is relatively impermeable, not prone to flooding/erosion, and distant from habitation.
• The site should be authorized by the prescribed authority (State Pollution Control Board).

2) Obtain Necessary Approvals:

• Apply for and obtain authorization from the State Pollution Control Board.
• Get necessary clearances/licenses from other relevant authorities.

3) Infrastructure Setup:

• Design and construct the facility as per guidelines issued by the Central Pollution Control Board.
• Install required treatment equipment such as autoclave, microwave, shredder, effluent treatment plant etc.
• Set up secured storage area for different categories of bio-medical waste.
• Install continuous emission monitoring systems for incinerators.

4) Operational Procedures:

• Develop standard operating procedures for waste collection, transportation, treatment and disposal.
• Establish a bar coding and GPS system for handling bio-medical waste.
• Set up record keeping systems for treatment equipment operations, waste tracking etc.

5) Manpower & Training:

• Recruit and train staff on bio-medical waste handling, treatment procedures and safety protocols.
• Conduct regular health check-ups and immunization for workers.

6) Quality Control:

• Implement validation tests and routine tests for treatment equipment as specified in the rules.
• Set up laboratory for testing treated waste and emissions/effluents.

7) Documentation:

• Maintain records of waste received, treated and disposed as per rules.
• Prepare annual reports to be submitted to the State Pollution Control Board.

8) Safety & Emergency Procedures:

• Develop safety protocols and emergency response plans.
• Install fire safety equipment.

9) Initiate Operations:

• Start operations after obtaining final authorizations and clearances.
• Ensure compliance with all standards specified in the rules for treatment and disposal.

10) Regular Monitoring & Reporting:

• Conduct periodic monitoring of environmental parameters.
• Submit regular compliance reports to regulatory authorities.

Annual Reporting 

Every occupier or operator of common bio-medical waste treatment facility shall submit an annual report to the prescribed authority in Form-IV, on or before the 30th June of every year.

• The prescribed authority shall compile, review and analyse the information received and send this information to the 1[Central Pollution Control Board in Form IVA before] the 31st July of every year.
• The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change on or before 31st August every year.
• The Annual Reports shall also be available online on the websites of Occupiers, State Pollution Control Boards and Central Pollution Control Board.

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