Bio-medical Wastes being generated by the hospitals have to be treated
in accordance with Schedule - 1 of the rules and shall have to conform
to the standards prescribed in Schedule V. Wastes have to be segregated
at the source and collected and contained in colour coded bags/ containers
as per Schedule II of the Act and Labelled as per Schedule III of the
act and transported and labelled for transportation as per Schedule IV
of the Act.
To comply with the above, the primary option for treatment/ disposal of
the wastes is Incineration (excluding plastics with emphasis on chlorinated
plastics). Other major options for treatment/ disposal of the wastes are
Autoclaving / Microwaving of the wastes. The residue ash and chemical
wastes used in disinfecting processes can be disposed of in secured landfills.
In towns and villages with population less than five lakhs and in rural
areas some of the groups of wastes can be disposed of through burial by
way of deposition into secure landfills.
The Rules as described above come into enforcement immediately from the
date of gazette. However, MoEF has observed that immediate implementation
of the rules may not be practical for all the hospitals and thus has provided
the hospitals/ nursing homes with time (as described in Schedule VI of
the rules) for effective implementation of the rules.