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Bio Medical Waste (BMW) Management & Handling Rules

The Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF), Govt. of India, notified the Bio-Medical Waste (Management and Handling) Rules in July 1998 under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, through Gazette notification S.O. 630(E). Thereafter, the Bio-Medical Waste (Management and Handling) Rules were amended twice in the year 2000 and the last amendment was made in the year 2003. The first amendment was published on 6th March 2000 vide S.O. 210(E) and second amendment was published on 2nd June 2000 vide the Gazette Notification S.O. 545(E), third Amendment was published on 17th September 2003 vide Gazette Notification S.O. 1069(E). These rules regulate the generation, handling, collection, storage, transport, treatment and disposal of Bio-Medial Wastes.

The Central Govt. notified these rules for the management and Handling of biomedical wastes generated from Hospitals, clinics, other institutions for scientific management of Biomedical Waste. The Biomedical waste means any waste, which is generated during the diagnosis, treatment or immunization of human beings or animals or in research activities pertaining thereto or in the production or testing of biological and including categories mentioned in schedule I of the Rules. 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 what ever name called to take all steps to ensure that such waste is handled without any adverse effect to human health and the environment.

For violating the provisions of these Rules, the Board can file a complaint under section 15 of EP Act which provide for imprisonment which may extend upto 5 years with fine. The Board can also have directions for closure of any defaulting hospital/ clinic/ institution under section 5 of EP Act as per powers delegated by the Central Govt.

The State Pollution Control Board is declared as prescribed Authority for grant of Authorization. The Board grants authorizations after satisfying itself.

Some of the salient features of these rules are as follows:

  • These rules are applicable to the Hospitals, Nursing Homes, Veterinary Institutions, Pathological Laboratories and Clinics, Blood Banks, etc. generating bio-medical wastes.
  • The State Pollution Control Board/Pollution Control Committee is the prescribed authority for the implementation of the Rules in the Sates/Union Territories.
  • Every occupier of the health care units generating, collecting, receiving, storing, transporting, treating, disposing and/or handling BMW 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 for grant of authorization.
  • The prescribed authority 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 the BMW in accordance with the Rules, grant or renew an authorization as the case may be.
  • The Onus of the treatment of the BMW squarely lies with the occupier of the health care units.
  • The Municipal body of the area shall pick up and transport segregated non bio-medical waste generated in the hospital and nursing homes, as well as duly treated BMW for disposal at municipal dump site.
  • The BMW shall not be stored beyond 48 hours without permission of the appropriate authority.
  • The occupier of the health care unit needs to maintain the records related to the generation,collection, reception, storage, transportation, treatment, disposal and/or any form of handling BMW.
  • Every occupier/operator shall submit an annual report to the State Pollution Control Board in Form-II by 31st January every year. The State Pollution Control Board shall send these information in a compiled form to the CPCB by 31st March every year.