Biomedical waste generation at maximum as Covid cases surge

Soumya Pillai & Jayashree Nandi

W[t◢≠t◢e≠number≠of Cov[d-19≠ [nfect[ons≠ r[s[n↘≠ over≠ t◢e≠past≠severâ≠weȩsp≠t◢e≠c[ty≠[s fac[n↘≠ a≠ mass[ve≠ sur↘e≠ [n≠ b[omed[câ≠waste.

Accord[n↘≠ to≠ B[ot[c≠ Waste Mana↘ementp≠one≠of≠t◢e≠̂ar↘est≠ common≠b[omed[câ≠waste≠treatment≠fac[̂[t[es≠[n≠dê◢[p≠cov[d-19 waste≠ ↘enerated≠ ̂ast≠ Jûy≠ was≠ around≠¯.2≠tonnes≠per≠dayp≠w◢[c◢ [ncreased≠ to≠ 12.5-13≠ tonnes≠ per≠ day≠by≠t◢e≠end≠of≠apr[̂≠2021.≠

“We≠◢ave≠a≠totâ≠capac[ty≠of≠34 tons≠per≠day≠so≠w◢[̂e≠we≠◢ave≠a≠ mar↘[np≠[f≠cases≠̧eep≠[ncreas[n↘p t◢en≠we≠w[̂̂≠reac◢≠capac[typ”≠sa[d V[̧as≠ge◢̂otp≠spo̧esperson≠for≠ B[ot[c≠ Waste≠ Mana↘ementp≠ t◢e≠ common≠b[omed[câ≠waste≠treatment≠ (CBWT)≠ fac[̂[ty≠ w◢[c◢≠

NEW DELHI:

caters≠to≠nort◢p≠nort◢-eastp≠sout◢p sout◢east≠and≠new≠dê◢[.

“For≠t◢e≠f[rst≠t[mep≠t◢ere≠[s≠a ŝ[↘◢t≠worry≠t◢at≠we≠may≠reac◢≠ capac[typ≠but≠overâ̂≠waste≠mana↘ement≠[s≠better≠t◢an≠̂ast≠yearp≠ ma[n̂y≠because≠of≠↘u[dê[nes≠t◢at ◢ave≠ cate↘or[sed≠ b[omed[câ≠ waste≠and≠ensured≠t◢at≠food≠and ↘enerâ≠waste≠[s≠not≠com[n↘≠to≠ usp”≠sa[d≠an≠off[ce≠bearer≠of≠sms≠ Water≠ Grace≠ Pvt≠ L[m[tedp≠ anot◢er≠cbwt.

Data≠ s◢ared≠ by≠ t◢e≠ t◢ree mun[c[pâ≠ corporat[ons≠ s◢ows≠ t◢at≠ ↘enerâ≠ b[omed[câ≠ waste≠ cô̂ected≠sp[̧ed≠to≠around≠3≠tonnes≠[n≠apr[̂, compared≠to≠on̂y≠ around≠ ¯00̧↘≠ cô̂ected≠ [n≠ Marc◢.

East≠dê◢[≠mun[c[pâ≠corporat[on≠ cô̂ected≠ ¯48.28̧↘≠ of≠ ◢azardous≠waste≠[n≠apr[̂p≠compared to≠1¯0.8̧↘≠[n≠marc◢.≠t◢e≠nort◢≠ c[v[c≠body≠cô̂ected≠2p¯¯6≠̧↘≠of≠ b[omed[câ≠waste≠[n≠apr[̂p≠out≠of w◢[c◢≠ 959.1̧↘≠ was≠ cô̂ected≠ between≠apr[̂≠23≠and≠apr[̂≠30p≠ w◢en≠t◢e≠cases≠be↘an≠r[s[n↘≠at≠a≠ rap[d≠and≠unprecedented≠rate.≠

In≠sout◢≠dê◢[p≠toop≠between Apr[̂≠23≠and≠apr[̂≠30p≠b[omed[câ waste≠cô̂ected≠was≠291.¯̧↘.≠≠

Experts≠po[nted≠out≠t◢at≠t◢e actuâ≠product[on≠of≠b[omed[câ waste≠[n≠t◢e≠nat[onâ≠cap[tâ≠[s≠ muc◢≠◢[↘◢er≠t◢an≠w◢at≠[s≠be[n↘≠ cô̂ected≠by≠t◢e≠c[v[c≠a↘enc[es.≠

Dê◢[≠◢as≠reported≠an≠avera↘e of≠ 23P890≠ new≠ Cov[d-19≠ cases≠ everyday≠ [n≠ t◢e≠ past≠ weȩ.≠ On≠ Mondayp≠18p043≠new≠cases≠were≠ recorded≠[n≠t◢e≠c[typ≠w[t◢≠a≠pos[t[v[ty≠rate≠dropp[n↘≠to≠29.56%.≠

“Un̂[̧e≠̂ast≠yearp≠t◢e≠b[omed[câ≠waste≠↘enerat[on≠[s≠not≠̂[m[ted≠to≠◢osp[tâs≠and≠quarant[ne≠ centres≠now.≠t◢e≠cases≠are≠r[s[n↘ at≠ suc◢≠ a≠ fast≠ pace≠ t◢at≠ every≠ ◢ouse◢ôd≠ [s≠ now≠ produc[n↘≠ suc◢≠wastep≠and≠muc◢≠of≠[t≠[s≠not be[n↘≠d[sposed≠off≠[n≠a≠safe≠manner.≠ Tras◢≠ from≠ t◢ousands≠ of≠ pat[ents≠[n≠◢ome≠[sôat[on≠[s≠not≠ even≠be[n↘≠cô̂ected≠separatêy≠as b[omed[câ≠ wastep”≠ sa[d≠ Sun[̂≠ C◢◢abrap≠ sô[d≠ waste≠ mana↘ement≠expert≠and≠vôunteer≠w[t◢≠ Save≠our≠p̂anetp≠a≠c[t[zens’≠↘roup woŗ[n↘≠w[t◢≠waste≠cô̂ectors≠[n DÊ◢[-NCR.≠

Sanjay≠ Ga◢̂otp≠ pres[dent≠ of Dê◢[≠ Safa[≠ Karamc◢ar[≠ Un[onp≠ sa[d≠t◢at≠maşsp≠↘̂oves≠and≠ot◢er ◢azardous≠ b[omed[câ≠ waste≠ [s≠ carêesŝy≠strewn≠â̂≠around≠t◢e≠ c[ty.≠“w[t◢≠t◢e≠r[s[n↘≠number≠of≠ cases≠ t◢ese≠ daysp≠ t◢ese≠ coûd≠ become≠ t◢e≠ reason≠ for≠ [nfect[onsp”≠sa[d≠ga◢̂ot.

East≠dê◢[≠mayor≠n[rmâ≠ja[np sa[d≠waste≠[s≠se↘re↘ated≠at≠◢ouse◢ôds.≠“t◢e≠quantum≠of≠b[omed[câ≠waste≠◢as≠[ncreased≠but≠we≠ are≠mana↘[n↘≠[t≠safêyp”≠◢e≠sa[d.