Biomedical Waste and Necessity of Effluent Treatment Plant in in hospitals
As per the topic of Biomedical Waste we are going to discuss the following terms in this article read full-
- What is Biomedical Waste in Hospital?
- Why proper management of biomedical waste is required in hospital ?
- Hospital Needs of Effluent treatment plant for its sewage waste management.
Biomedical Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 1998 of India “Any waste which is generated during the diagnosis, treatment or immunization of citizenry or animals or in research activities pertaining thereto or within the production or testing of biologicals.
The Government of India (notification, 1998) specifies that Hospital Waste Management may be a a part of hospital hygiene and maintenance activities. And this involves management of range of activities, which are mainly engineering functions, like collection, transportation, operation or treatment of processing systems, and proper disposal of wastes.
Acording to World Health Organization 85% of hospital wastes are literally non-hazardous, whereas 10% are infectious and 5% are non-infectious but they're included in hazardous wastes. Near About 15% to 35% of Hospital waste is regulated as infectious waste. This range depends on the entire amount of waste generated (Glenn and Garwal, 1999).5
Classification of Bio-Medical Waste
The World Health Organization (WHO) has classified medical waste into 8 Different categories:
- General Waste
- Pathological
- Radioactive
- Chemical
- Infectious to potentially infectious waste
- Sharps
- Pharmaceuticals
- Pressurized containers
Sources of Biomedical Waste
Hospitals produce waste, which is increasing over the years in its amount and sort . The hospital waste, additionally to the danger for patients and personnel who handle them also poses a threat to public health and environment.
Major Sources
- Govt. hospitals/private hospitals/nursing homes/ dispensaries.
- Primary health centers.
- Medical colleges and research centers/ paramedic services.
- Veterinary colleges and animal research centers.
- Blood banks/mortuaries/autopsy centers.
- Biotechnology institutions.
- Production units.
Minor Sources
- Physicians/ dentists’ clinics
- Animal houses/slaughter houses.
- Blood donation camps.
- Vaccination centers.
- Acupuncturists/psychiatric clinics/cosmetic piercing.
- Funeral services.
- Institutions for disabled persons
Problems concerning biomedical waste
A major issue associated with current Bio-Medical waste management in many hospitals is that the implementation of Bio-Waste regulation is unsatisfactory as some hospitals are removing waste during a haphazard, improper and indiscriminate manner. Lack of segregation practices, leads to mixing of hospital wastes with general waste making the entire waste stream hazardous. Inappropriate segregation ultimately leads to an incorrect method of waste disposal.
Inadequate Bio-Medical waste management thus will cause environmental pollution, unpleasant smell, growth and multiplication of vectors like insects, rodents and worms and should cause the transmission of diseases like typhoid, cholera, hepatitis and AIDS through injuries from syringes and needles contaminated with human.
Various communicable diseases, which spread through water, sweat, blood, body fluids and contaminated organs, are important to be prevented. The Bio Medical Waste scattered in and round the hospitals invites flies, insects, rodents, cats and dogs that are liable for the spread of communication disease like plague and rabies. Rag pickers within the hospital, checking out the rubbish are at a risk of getting tetanus and HIV infections. The recycling of disposable syringes, needles, IV sets and other article like glass bottles without proper sterilization are liable for Hepatitis, HIV, and other viral diseases. It becomes primary responsibility of Health administrators to manage hospital waste in most safe and eco-friendly manner.
Need of Biomedical waste Management in Hospitals
The reasons thanks to which there's great need of management of hospitals waste such as:
- Injuries from sharps resulting in infection to all or any categories of hospital personnel and waste handler.
- nosocomial infections in patients from poor infection control practices and poor waste management.
- Risk of infection outside hospital for waste handlers and scavengers and at time general public living within the vicinity of hospitals.
- Risk related to hazardous chemicals, drugs to persons handling wastes in the least levels.
- “Disposable” being repacked and sold by unscrupulous elements without even being washed.
- Drugs which are disposed of, being repacked and sold off to unsuspecting buyers.
- Risk of air, water and soil pollution directly thanks to waste, or thanks to defective incineration emissions and ash.
