Biomedical waste in Chennai drops by 50 pc

Sources said that government and private hospitals have already tied up with Common Biomedical Waste Treatment facilities across the state.

“There is a separate norm for hospitals disposing off the waste. Usually the biomedical waste used to be packed in a single cover, but due to coronavirus, they are supposed to pack the waste packed in double covers, sealed, disinfected and then give it to the contractors. We have arranged separate vehicles to collect waste from the hospitals treating COVID– 19 patients,” said P Sivakumar, Operation General Manager, GJ Multiclave (India) Private Limited, a waste management organisation.

“As many hospitals are closed, the amount of biomedical waste we receive has been reduced to 50 per cent. Only 500 kg of waste is being collected during this lockdown,” he added.

There are 45 workers collecting biomedical waste from the healthcare centers, they are provided with adequate PPEs, including three-layer masks, splash-proof aprons, nitrile gloves, gumboots, and safety goggles, another biomedical waste management firm representative said.

According to health officials, the healthcare facilities dispose of everything they use, including left-over food and plates along with masks and PPE kits. “In this situation, every hospital is using disposable plates and they cannot dump waste food separately,” an official said.

“The waste from the hospitals is being disposed of safely every day and we pack the used masks, PPE kits in the hospital in a polythene bags, seal and disinfect it. And then dispose it for incinerations. The workers collect it twice a day,” said Dr K Narayanaswamy, Medical Superintendent, Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital.

“We have instructed the healthcare facilities on the disposal of biomedical waste as per CPCB guidelines. We have also directed the Chennai Corporation, Commissioner of Municipal Administration, and Director of Town Panchayat on collection and disposal of waste. The collected biomedical waste is being incinerated in the existing Common Biomedical Waste Treatment and Disposal Facility,” said K Gokuldas, Joint Chief Environmental Engineer, TNPCB.