Govt fixes rates for disposal of biomedical waste
NEWDELHI: In a move to nudge private clinics and laboratories to adhere to the biomedical waste rules 2016, the Delhi government has fixed rates with private agencies to regulate cost.
The Bio-medical Waste Management Rules, 2016, made it mandatory for small clinics and laboratories to dispose of biomedical waste such as needles, syringes, cotton swabs, etc, to adhere to waste disposal norms.
Under the new provisions, clinics and hospitals will have to implement a bar-code system to track the waste up to the disposal plants and prevent pilferage and use non-chlorinated bags for disposal. Chlorinated bags, currently used to store the waste, are non-biodegradable and may release carcinogens when incinerated at low temperature.
The deadline for adhering to the new provisions of the rules has been extended to March 2019.
The high price and the monopoly of two agencies for biomedical waste disposal in Delhi has been a bone of contention with hospitals, clinics and labs.
“The focus should be on proper compliance. There have been many discussions between doctors and waste-disposal agencies, where the doctors said that the rates are too high because of a monopoly and the agencies have justified the rates on account of rising diesel prices. It was time for a mediator to step in,” said Satish Sinha, associate director with the non-profit, Toxic Links.
To alleviate the fear of monopoly, the Delhi government has negotiated with the agencies disposing the waste and fixed rates for general practitioners at Rs 600 per month or Rs 6,000 for the year. For all private polyclinics, dispensaries and diagnostic laboratories, the rate is Rs 837 per month. The rate is the same for any facility with seven beds or less, and rises by Rs 112 per bed for larger facilities.
The disposal of the biomedical waste from government hospitals is done for free by the agencies under an order by the Delhi Pollution Control Committee.
The total bio-medical waste generation in the country is 484 tonnes per day from 1,68,869 hospitals and clinics, out of which 447 tonnes is treated per day , according to official data.
“This a good move as it regulated the arbitrary rates charged by the two waste disposal agencies. The negotiated price, however, is still high because of the use added cost of non-chlorinated plastics and bar-coding,” said Dr Sandeep Sharma, joint secretary of the Delhi Medical Association.
He raised concerns about the biomedical waste added to household garbage in terms of diabetes prick tests done at home, diapers and sanitary napkins etc. “A better way to go about it would have been to have collection centres where even these items could be disposed and would not put any additional burden on doctors who have small practices,” said Dr Sharma.