BMWM Rules provide direction to Healthcare Facilities, pharmaceutical sector at large and chemical industries as well as the industry/vendors involved in the usage of biomedical wastes in collecting, sending, transportation, utilization, and disposal.
According to the Biomedical Waste Management Rules, 2016 (BMWM Rules, 2016), published by the Ministry of Environment, Forestry & Climate Change in March 2016, every healthcare facility such as hospitals, nursing homes etc are required to take all reasonable precautions to ensure that biomedical waste is handled safely and without harming the environment or creating any threat for the human health. BMWM Rules, 2016, aso takes into its purview the pharmaceutical sector and industries that produce pharmaceuticals, reagent chemicals, markers, etc. That’s because they also produce bio-medical wastes such pleural fluid, ascitic fluid, HBsAG positive blood, placenta, etc.
Taking proper precautions will mitigate any danger of infection transmission during handling. The rules provide direction to Healthcare Facilities, pharmaceutical sector at large and chemical industries as well as the industry/vendors involved in the usage of biomedical wastes in collecting, sending, transportation, utilization, and disposal.
Any industry or vendors engaged in the collection and transportation of biomedical waste for the purpose of use, are required to acquire permission from the relevant Pollution Control Board/Pollution Control Committee of the State/UT where they do the collection and handling of biomedical waste. They are also required to seek permission from the State or Union Territory where they are involved in activities such as collection, storage, use, processing and disposing of biological waste.
Any Health Care Facility that provides biomedical waste to other industries for their utilization, should inform the SPCB and provide details about the waste. They also need to provide such information at the time of seeking renewal of authorization.
As per the provisions laid down under the Environmental Protection Act, 1986, the vendor engaged in the utilization of biomedical waste is responsible for any environmental or health risks incurred during its transportation, handling, utilization, and disposal, including payment of environmental compensation charges, if applicable.
The health care facility is required to inform the authority (SPCB) about the type of biomedical waste which is handed over to the vendor. Also they need to amend the authorisation while applying afresh or seeking renewal of the same to include the type of biomedical waste that has been handed over to the vendor.
Hospitals shall provide bio-medical waste only to those industries or vendors that are authorized by concerned SPCB/PCC under BMWM Rules, 2016 for collection and transportation of biomedical waste.
Bio-medical waste intended for utilization shall be collected by the nursing staff directly into the leak proof, puncture proof, tamper proof containers/bottles provided by the authorized vendor/industry.
Containers and bottles containing the biomedical waste should be stored at designated temporary biomedical waste storage areas.
The person responsible for storing the biomedical waste should maintain a record of the type of biomedical waste, its quantity, the date and time of generation, and the date of collection.
Any firm that is involved in collection and transportation of BMW for utilization, is also responsible for acquiring authorization from concerned SPCB/PCC. In fact, they can only engage in the business of managing bio medical waste only after obtaining authorization.
Appropriate containers or the bottles should be used to collect bio-medical waste in accordance with BMWM Rules, 2016. Also, all bottles and containers should be appropriate labeled with biohazard symbol.
The bio medica containers and waste bins should contain labels with below information:
The firm or agency dealing with the handling and movement of bio medical waste should ensure safe transportation of biomedical waste, this is regardless of wether they use their own vehicle or hire a transportation company.