BIOMEDICAL WASTES
INTRODUCTION
Biomedical waste is any kind of waste containing infectious (or potentially infectious) materials.[1] It may also include waste associated with the
generation of biomedical waste that visually appears to be of medical or
laboratory origin (e.g., packaging, unused bandages, infusion kits, etc.), as
well research laboratory waste containing biomolecules or organisms that are
restricted from environmental release. As detailed below, discarded sharps are considered biomedical waste whether they are
contaminated or not, due to the possibility of being contaminated with blood
and their propensity to cause injury when not properly contained and disposed
of. Biomedical waste is a type of bio-waste.
The act was passed by
the Ministry of Environment and Forests in 1986 & notified the Bio
Medical Waste (Management and Handling) Rules in July 1998. In accordance
with these rules, it is the duty of every “occupier” i.e. a person who has the
control over the institution or its premises, to take all steps to ensure that
waste generated is handled without any adverse effect to human health and
environment
Definitions
Hospital waste refers to all
waste, biological or non‐
biological that is discarded and not intended for further use.
Bio‐medical waste means any waste,
which is generated during the diagnosis, treatment or immunization of human
beings or animals or in research activities pertaining thereto or in the
production or testing of biologicals, and including categories mentioned in
Schedule I.
Infectious
waste: The
wastes which contain pathogens in sufficient concentration or quantity that
could cause diseases. It is hazardous e.g. culture and stocks of infectious
agents from laboratories, waste from surgery, waste originating from infectious
patients.
Classification of Bio‐Medical Waste
Sources Of Bio Medical Waste
·
Hospitals
·
Nursing
homes
·
Clinics
·
Medical
laboratories
·
Blood
banks
·
Mortuaries
·
Medical
research & training centers
·
Biotechnology
institution/production units
·
Animal
houses etc.
• Such a waste can also be generated at
home if health care is being provided there to a patient (e.g. injection,
dressing material etc.)
Categories Of Bio
medical Waste:
|
Option
|
Waste
Category
|
Treatment
& Disposal
|
|
Category No. I
|
Human Anatomical Waste (human
tissues, organs, body parts)
|
incineration/deep burial
|
|
Category No. 2
|
Animal Waste (animal tissues, organs, body parts carcasses,
bleeding parts, fluid, blood and experimental animals used in research, waste
generated by veterinary hospitals colleges, discharge from hospitals, animal
houses)
|
incineration/deep burial
|
|
Category No. 3
|
Microbiology & Biotechnology
Waste (wastes from laboratory cultures, stocks or specimens of micro‐
organisms live or attenuated vaccines, human and animal cell culture used in
research and infectious agents from research and industrial laboratories,
wastes from production of biologicals, toxins, dishes and devices used for
transfer of cultures)
|
local autoclaving/micro‐
waving/incineration
|
|
Category No. 4
|
Waste sharps (needles, syringes, scalpels, blades, glass,
etc. that may cause puncture and cuts. This includes both used and unused
sharps)
|
disinfection (chemical treatment/autoclavin g/microwaving
and mutilation/shredding
|
|
Category No. 5
|
Discarded Medicines and
Cytotoxic drugs (wastes comprising of outdated, contaminated and discarded
medicines)
|
incineration@/destruction and
drugs disposal in secured landfills
|
|
Category No. 6
|
Soiled Waste (Items contaminated with blood, and body fluids
including cotton, dressings, soiled plaster casts, lines, beddings, other
material contaminated with blood)
|
Incineration/ autoclaving/microwaving
|
|
Category No. 7
|
Solid Waste (wastes generated from
disposable items other than the waste sharps such as tubings, catheters,
intravenous sets etc).
|
disinfection by chemical
treatment/autoclaving/ microwaving and mutilation/ shredding
|
|
Category No. 8
|
Liquid Waste (waste generated from laboratory and washing,
cleaning, house‐ keeping and disinfecting activities).
|
disinfection by chemical treatment and discharge into drains
|
|
Category No. 9
|
Incineration Ash (ash from
incineration of any bio‐medical waste)
|
disposal in municipal landfill
|
|
Category No.10
|
Chemical Waste (chemicals used in production of biologicals,
chemicals used in disinfection, as insecticides, etc.)
|
Chemical discharge into drains for liquids and secured
landfill for solids
|
Conclusion
The waste generated by the health care establishment includes
a wide range of aste materials like used
needles and syringes, soiled dressings, body parts, diagnostic samples, blood, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, medical
devices and radioactive materials etc. which is legally termed as biomedical
waste. The greatest risk of biomedical waste is from the infectious and sharp
components of the waste because the health care workers handling waste may
contact with HIV or AIDS, Hepatitis B and C. These biomedical wastes pose
tremendous risk to uninfected population if it comes in contact with it. Thus,
it is essential that, the biomedical waste is properly handled, segregated and
properly and safely disposed off
he goals of biomedical waste treatment are to reduce or eliminate
the waste's hazards, and
usually to make the waste unrecognizable.
Treatment should render
the waste safe for
subsequent handling and disposal.
Biomedical waste is often incinerated. An efficient
incinerator will destroy
pathogens and sharps .
BIBILIOGRAPHY
www.medprodisposal.com
› Medical Waste Disposal
classroom
lecture/by Rahul sir
www.ncbi.in
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