BIO-MEDICAL WASTE MANAGEMENT


The Bio-Medical Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 1998 apply to all persons who generate, collect, receive, store, transport, treat, dispose, or handle bio medical waste in any form.

DUTY OF OCCUPIER

It shall be the duty of every occupier of an institution generating bio-medical waste which includes a hospital, nursing home, clinic, dispensary, veterinary institution, animal house, pathological laboratory, blood bank by whatever name called to take all steps to ensure that such waste is handled without any adverse effect to human health and the environment.

AUTHORISATION PROCEDURE

  • Every occupier of an institution generating, collecting, receiving, storing, transporting, treating, disposing and/or handling bio-medical waste in any other manner, except such occupier of clinics, dispensaries, pathological laboratories, blood banks providing treatment/service to less than 1000 (one thousand) patients per month, shall make an application in Form I to the prescribed authority, i.e. the Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board, for grant of authorisation.
  • Every operator of a bio-medical waste facility shall make an application in Form I to the prescribed authority for grant of authorisation.
  • Every application in Form I for grant of authorisation shall be accompanied by a fee as may be prescribed by the State Government.
  • The prescribed authority, i.e. the Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board, shall on receipt of Form I make such enquiry as it deems fit and if it is satisfied that the applicant possesses the necessary capacity to handle bio-medical waste in accordance with these Rules, grant or renew an authorisation as the case may be.
  • An authorisation shall be granted for an initial trial period of one year from the date of issue.
  • Thereafter, an application shall be made by the occupier/operator for renewal. All such subsequent authorisation shall be for a period of three years.
  • A provisional authorisation will be granted for the trial period, to enable the occupier/operator to demonstrate the capacity of the facility.
  • The prescribed authority, i.e. the Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board, may after giving reasonable opportunity of being heard to the applicant and for reasons thereof to be recorded in writing, refuse to grant or renew authorisation.
  • Every application for authorisation shall be disposed of by the prescribed authority, i.e. the Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board, within ninety days from the date of receipt of the application.
  • The prescribed authority, i.e. the Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board, may cancel or suspend an authorisation, if for reasons, to be recorded in writing, the occupier/operator has failed to comply with any provision of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 (29 of 1986) or these Rules, provided that no authorisation shall be cancelled or suspended without giving a reasonable opportunity to the occupier/operator of being heard.

MANAGEMENT OF BIO-MEDICAL WASTE

  • Bio-medical waste shall not be mixed with other wastes.
  • Bio-medical waste shall be segregated into containers/bags at the point of generation in accordance with Schedule II prior to its storage, transportation, treatment and disposal.
  • The containers shall be labeled according to Schedule III.
  • If a container is transported from the premises where bio-medical waste is generated to any waste treatment  facility outside the  premises, the container shall, apart from the label prescribed  in Schedule III, also carry information prescribed in Schedule IV.
  • Notwithstanding anything contained in the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, or rules thereunder, untreated biomedical waste shall be transported only in such vehicle as may be authorised for the purpose by the competent authority, i.e. the Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board.
  • No untreated bio-medical waste shall be kept stored beyond a period of 48 hours. Provided that if for any reason it becomes necessary to store the waste beyond such period, the authorised person must take permission of the prescribed authority and take measures to ensure that the waste does not adversely affect human health and the environment.
  • Bio-medical waste shall be treated and disposed of in accordance with Schedule I, and in compliance with the standards prescribed in Schedule V.

ANNUAL REPORT

  • Every occupier/operator shall submit an annual report to the prescribed authority, i.e. the Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board, in Form II by 31st January every year, to include information about the categories and quantities of bio-medical wastes handled during the preceding year.
  • The prescribed authority, i.e. the Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board, shall send this information in a compiled form to the Central Pollution Control Board by 31st March every year.

MAINTENANCE OF RECORDS

  • Every authorised person shall maintain records related to the generation, collection, reception, storage, transportation, treatment, disposal and/or any form of handling of bio-medical waste in accordance with these rules and any guidelines issued.
  • All records shall be subject to inspection and verification by the prescribed authority at any time.

ACCIDENT REPORTING

  • When any accident occurs at any institution or facility or any other site where bio-medical waste is handled or during transportation of such waste, the authorised person shall report the accident in Form III to the prescribed authority forthwith.

APPEAL

  • Any person aggrieved by an order made by the prescribed authority under these rules may, within thirty days from the date on which the order is communicated to him, prefer an appeal in Form V to such authority as the Government of State/Union Territory may think fit to constitute:

    Provided that the authority may entertain the appeal after the expiry of the said period of thirty days if it is satisfied that the appellant was prevented by sufficient cause from filing the appeal in time.

COMMON DISPOSAL / INCINERATION SITES

  • It shall be the responsibility of the Municipal Corporations, Municipal Boards or Urban Local Bodies, as the case may be, to provide suitable common disposal/incineration sites for the bio-medical wastes generated in the area under their jurisdiction.
  • In areas outside the jurisdiction of the municipal body, it shall be the responsibility of the occupier generating bio-medical waste/operator of a bio-medical waste treatment facility to arrange for suitable sites individually or in association, so as to comply with the provisions of the Rules.

AUTHORISATION  STATUS  OF HEALTH CARE FACILITIES (HCFs) IN MEGHALAYA  (upto 30th June 2007)

  1. State Government HCFs.
  2. Central Government HCFs.
  3. Private HCFs.
  4. Veterinary Hospitals.

ANNUAL REPORT ON BIO-MEDICAL WASTE MANAGEMENT AS ON 31st MARCH, 2007
(Click Here to view)

 

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