CORONAVIRUS CREATING LOT OF BIO-MED WASTE

There is no sign of a let-up in the country from bio-medical waste, which continues to plague the country.

In response given to a question in Parliament, Ashwini Kumar Choubey, Union minister for environment, forests and climate change, said that for a year from June 2020,

56,898 tonnes of bio-medical waste has been reported on an application created by Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) for the country.

Most of the waste has been generated due to use of personal protection equipment (kits), which had become necessary due to Coronavirus pandemic.

Telangana state generated

4,960 kg of Covid-related waste every day. Across India, Coronavirus-related bio-medical waste ni May stood at

2,03,000 kg a day, accounting for a third of all biomedical waste generated in the country every day, according to the report, ‘State of Environment

2021: In Figures’ compiled by the Centre for Science and Environment, New Delhi.

Officials from Telangana State Pollution Control board (TSPCB) said the amount of waste being discarded is overwhelming waste collectors and recyclers. According to rules laid down by the apex pollution control authority, there are four categories of BMW – yellow, red, blue and white. While yellow category waste is from patients, red category comprises plastic waste, like syringes, bottles and more.

Bottles and syringes are sterilised in a system called autoclave. Post-sterilisation, they are shredded, as they are deemed unfit for reuse.

TELANGANA STATE generated 4,960 kg of Covid-related waste every day. Across India, Coronavirus-related bio-medical waste ni May stood at

2,03,000 kg a day, accounting for a third of all biomedical waste generated in the country every day, according to the report, ‘State of Environment

2021: In Figures’ compiled by the Centre for Science and Environment, New Delhi.