A Review of Biomedical Waste and Management, Maharashtra, India

Abstract

Biomedical Waste (BMW) is one of the most hazardous waste generated from biological and medical sources and activities, such as the diagnosis, prevention, or treatment of diseases. Proper management of this waste is an environmental concern. If it is not dealt with in a certain fashion, the waste may cause infections and other dangers to humans and other living organisms that are exposed to it. This study investigates the urgent need for raising awareness and education on medical waste issues and the cost effective system for providing better medical waste treatment facilities along with generation of awareness to reduce and recycle the waste necessary to sustain the environment.

Introduction

Hospitals, while essential to public health, generate biomedical waste (BMW) — a mix of hazardous and non-hazardous material. About 15–25% of BMW is hazardous and needs special handling to avoid spreading infections like HIV/AIDS, hepatitis B & C, and tuberculosis.

2. Types of Biomedical Waste

Includes:

• Sharps (needles, blades)

• Human/animal tissues

• Soiled materials

• Microbiological cultures

• Expired medicines

• Chemical and liquid waste

• PPE and disposables (increased post-COVID)

3. Risks of Poor Management

Improper handling of BMW can lead to:

• Disease transmission to healthcare workers, waste handlers, and the public

• Environmental damage (air, water, and land pollution)

• Rodent infestations and public health hazards

4. Regulatory Framework

Countries have introduced stringent regulations, e.g.:

• India’s BMW Rules (2016): Detailed guidelines for waste segregation, storage, transport, treatment, and disposal

• WHO Guidelines: Classify medical waste into 8 categories (e.g., infectious, sharps, pharmaceuticals, radioactive)

5. Key Principles of BMWM

1. Segregation at Source: Use color-coded bins to separate waste by type.

2. Safe Collection & Transport: Use PPE and secure vehicles.

3. Appropriate Treatment: Autoclaving, incineration, chemical disinfection, etc.

4. Safe Disposal: Environmentally sound methods like shredding or landfilling.

5. Training & Monitoring: Regular audits, staff training, and public education.

6. BMW Treatment Methods

• Incineration: High-temp burning (avoid plastics to prevent dioxins)

• Autoclaving: Steam sterilization (safe for sharps/disposables)

• Chemical Treatment: Disinfects liquid and solid waste using chlorine, hydrogen peroxide, etc.

• Thermal Inactivation: Heat used to neutralize pathogens

7. Literature Insights

• Kumar et al. (2012): Emphasize hygiene issues due to poor BMWM; promote full-cycle management from segregation to disposal.

• Jindal et al. (2013): Found outsourcing BMW disposal to certified agencies practical and effective.

• Tiwari et al. (2013): Found that ~10–15% of city waste is infectious BMW; stress source segregation.

• Karnata et al. (2020): Maharashtra generates ~10% of India’s BMW; warns of pollution and outbreaks due to mismanagement.

• Kanyal et al. (2021): Reviewed types, risks, and treatments of BMW in India and globally.

8. COVID-19 Impact

The pandemic led to a surge in BMW (masks, PPE kits, test materials), exposing gaps in current systems — especially in developing countries. There’s an urgent need for:

• Infrastructure investment

• Capacity building

• Eco-friendly disposal methods

9. Challenges

• Inadequate segregation leads to contamination and infection risks

• Untrained staff and lack of awareness

• Weak enforcement of rules

• Environmental hazards from incineration and landfill misuse

Conclusion

Safe and effective management of waste is not only a legal necessity but also a social responsibility. Lack of concern, motivation, awareness and cost factor are some of the problems faced in the proper hospital waste management. Proper surveys of waste management procedures in dental practices are needed. Clearly there is a need for education as to the hazards associated with improper waste disposal. Lack of apathy to the concept of waste management is a major stymie to the practice of waste disposal. An effective communication strategy is imperative keeping in view the low awareness level among different category of staff in the health care establishments regarding biomedical waste management. Proper collection and segregation of biomedical waste are important. At the same time, the quantity of waste generated is equally important. A lesser amount of biomedical waste means a lesser burden on waste disposal work, cost-saving and a more efficient waste disposal system. Hence, health care providers should always try to reduce the waste generation in day-to-day work in the clinic or at the hospital. Biomedical Waste management programme cannot successfully be implemented without the willingness, devotion, self-motivation, cooperation and participation of all sections of employees of any health care establishment. Therefore, it becomes the responsibility of this group to segregate and manage the waste in such a way, that it is no longer hazard for them, public and environment. Keeping in view, inappropriate management of biomedical wastes, the Ministry of Environment and Forests notified the \"Biomedical Waste (Management and Handling) Rules 1998.\" These rules are meant to protect the society, patients and health care workers. The most imperative component of the waste management plans is to develop a system and culture through education, training and persistent motivation of the health care staff.

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Copyright

Copyright © 2025 Nomeshwari D. Awachat, Pranoti S. Punwatkar. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.