Following complaints of open disposal of medical waste in violation of the medical waste disposal and management protocols of the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, the district administration has warned hospitals against disposal of medical waste without segregation and scientific management.
The Union Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, had outlined medical waste disposal and management protocols through the Bio-medical Waste Mangement Rules, 2016. According to the administration, the enforcement of the Bio-medical Waste Management Rules, 2016 is vested with the State Pollution Control Board (PCB).
The Bio-medical Waste Management Rules, mandates that hospitals collect, segregate and temporarily store medical waste and dispatch them for medical waste disposal. Further, hospitals are forbidden from storage of such waste that are hazardous causing infections.
The PCB has warned of action against erring hospitals for violations, despite repeated re-joinders to the hospitals. According to the administration, there were complaints of unscientific and hazardous ways of medical waste disposal. Hence, hospitals, clinics, COVID isolation centre are directed to channel wastes to the medical waste disposal yards certified by the PCB, after proper segregation.
