Biomedical solid waste management in an Indian hospital: a case study

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Public Health
• Hospital Management

Background:

• Effective management of hospital bio-medical waste is crucial for public health and environmental protection.
• Compliance with the Bio-medical Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 1998, is mandatory for Indian healthcare facilities.
• Accurate quantification of waste generation is essential for optimizing treatment systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the waste handling and treatment system at KLE Society's J. N. Hospital and Medical Research Center.
• To assess compliance with India's Bio-medical Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 1998.
• To quantitatively estimate infectious and non-infectious waste generated across hospital wards.

Main Methods:

• Site assessment of waste handling and treatment processes.
• Review of compliance with the Bio-medical Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 1998.
• Quantitative estimation of daily waste generation by type and ward.

Main Results:

• Personnel demonstrated adequate training in handling bio-hazardous materials.
• Segregation, collection, transport, storage, and disposal of infectious waste followed Standard Procedures.
• Incineration was used for final disposal of infectious waste, adhering to EPA Rules 1998.
• Non-infectious waste was managed as general waste.
• Average daily generation: 520 kg non-infectious and 101 kg infectious waste (2.31 kg/bed/day).
• The hospital provides waste treatment services to surrounding clinics and hospitals.

Conclusions:

• The hospital's bio-medical waste management system demonstrates compliance with national regulations.
• The established procedures ensure safe handling and disposal of infectious bio-medical waste.
• The hospital plays a significant role in regional bio-medical waste management by serving neighboring facilities.