Mumbai: With the second covid wave wave, the generation of Mumbai’s biomedical waste has fell by around 50% since the peak of the pandemic in May-June 2020.
From a maximum of 36 tons per day, around 18 tons per day in June-July 2021.
Maharashtra topped the country in biomedical waste produced every day last year, according to the ministry of health figures.
Before Covid, around 12,000 to 14,000 kg of biomedical waste used to be produced in Mumbai every day, and all of them were burned in Govandi.
Former syringes, bandages, body parts are amputated and human-waste and other animals produced during medical treatment and research are categorized as biomedical waste.
The doctor said because Covid treatment did not involve any operation, it should not produce a lot of biomedical waste.
Most of the waste consists of PPE kits, masks and gloves.
Better segregation of waste in hospital resources has helped reduce the number, said officials.
According to the guidelines for the New Central Pollution Control Agency (CPCB), the remaining food from the hospital is no longer treated as biomedical waste.
It is treated as part of ordinary solid waste.
Also, many regular operations are pushed back because of a pandemic.
Last December, CPCB also instructed that PPE kit and mask need not be burned; They can be grated, disinfected and recycled.
Of the 18 tons of biomedical waste produced per day, around 6 tons are kits and PPE masks.
In Mumbai, SMS Envoclean has been appointed to collect and discard all biomedical waste from public and private hospitals.
The company accused Rs 100 per kg for its services.
Although it fell on the generation of waste, the company still had to spread 90 vehicles because the PPE kit and mask took up a lot of space.
“Now the collection of biomedical waste and exile is well-controlled and controlled disposal.
There are not many bags lying in any hospital.
Segregation of waste in the hospital has increased a lot.
Last year, even solid waste related to Covid patients packed in biomedical waste bags .
After regular operation begins, we expect a slight increase, “said Amit Nilawar, who heads SMS Envoclean.
Waste containing human remains is transported with a yellow bag, and a red bag is used to put contaminated waste like PPE and mask.
White bags are used for sharp objects such as syringes and knives.
The doctor said biomedical waste means dangerous, so Covid does not make a difference.
Even the waste of HIV / AIDS patients is equally risky and must be disposed of correctly.
While CPCB has made a mandatory stem code in all biomedical waste bags, only about 10% of hospitals in Mumbai do it.
Even BMC hospitals are not encoding their bars leading to the delay in collections, sorting and disposal.