Question : COMMON BIO MEDICAL WASTAGE TREATMENT

(a) whether as per the guidelines of Central Pollution Control Board, installation of individual incinerators by a health care unit is to be discouraged as far as possible and it shall be allowed only at common bio-medical waste treatment facility;

(b) if so, the details of common biomedical waste treatment facility available in various states, State-wise;

(c) whether routine checks are conducted by the authorities to ensure the untreated medical waste are not dumped by the hospital;

(d) if not, the reasons therefor; and

(e) the steps taken by the Government in this regard?

MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR ENVIRONMENT AND FORESTS (SHRIMATI JAYANTHI NATARAJAN)

(a) to (e): According to guidelines of Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) for Design and Construction of Bio-medical Waste Incinerator, as far as possible, installation of individual incinerator by a healthcare unit is to be discouraged and incinerators are to be allowed only at Common Bio-medical Waste Treatment and Disposal Facility (CBMWTDF). However, permission can be granted in certain inevitable situations where no other option is available.

As per the information provided by the State Pollution Control Boards and Directorate General of Armed Forces Medical Services (DGAFMS), there are 188 CBMWTDFs in operation in the country. State-wise details of CBMWTDFs in operation are given in the Annexure.

The Ministry of Environment and Forests have notified the Bio-Medical Waste (Management & Handling) Rules, 1998 under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. As per these Rules, State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs) in their respective States and Pollution Control Committees (PCCs) in their respective Union Territories are the ‘Prescribed Authorities’ for ensuring compliance to the aforesaid Rules. SPCBs, PCCs and CPCB conduct visits to CBMWTDFs and health care establishments in order to verify status of compliance to these Rules.