Significance of Biomedical Waste Management in Covid-19 scenario

Abstract

Biomedical waste also known as bio-waste or healthcare waste is the waste generated during the process of
immunization, diagnosis and treatment. If not handled and treated properly, it can pose serious health and
environmental hazards. To address this issue, Ministry of Environment and Forest has passed Biomedical
Waste (Management and Handling) rules in the year 1998 under the environmental protection act 1986.
Central Pollution Control Board has issued guidelines for handling of COVID waste. In spite of all these rules
and regulations, several loopholes exist in management of biomedical waste. The pandemic has made the
situation even more challenging by increasing the biomedical waste generation exponentially. Improper
segregation, lack of clarity on waste disposal practices, poor infrastructure, lack of human resource and
financial constraint have further aggravated the problem. This situation demands to rethink our approach
for biomedical waste management and reformulate the existing strategies.