The Changing Pattern of the Quantum of Biomedical Waste Generated from a Tertiary Care Hospital in Delhi

Background  As a consequence of growth and advancement in health care, production of health care waste has seen an exponential upward trend. Waste from individual health care facilities can vary based on the nature and scope of health care services they provide. Objectives  To analyze the amount of biomedical waste generated by a tertiary care hospital. Methods  Biomedical waste generated by the hospital from 2005 to 2019 was quantified and analyzed to calculate the total amount of incinerable waste, recyclable plastic waste, and sharp and glass waste. The amount of waste generated per bed per day and the compound annual growth rate (CAGR) were also calculated. Results  The total amount of biomedical waste generated in 2005 was 65,658 kg, which has substantially increased to 374,712 kg in 2019, with a CAGR of 12.5%. The hospital was producing average biomedical waste of 0.179 kg/bed/day in 2005, which has increased four times in 2019 to reach 0.709 kg/bed/day. The overall estimated plastic waste was 31% of the total biomedical waste in 2005 and 53% in 2019. Conclusion  The generation of biomedical waste is likely to see significant upward trends unless diligent deliberations are held between different stakeholders in regard to the reintroduction of reusable materials and waste reduction strategies.