The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), New Delhi would issue a fresh set of guidelines for common bio-medical waste treatment facility (CBWTF) and for design and construction of biomedical waste incinerators within the next two months. This is intended to induce uniformity amongst the providers of waste treatment facility.

CPCB senior executive engineer Bharat Sharma told this correspondent that the CBWTF is a set up where bio-medical waste generated from a number of healthcare facilities is imparted necessary treatment to reduce all adverse affects. Sharma was in Pune for the annual conference of Indian Society of Hospital Waste Management held on 17th and 18th May 2003. It was hosted by the Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC) with Colonel Zille Singh as the organizing secretary.

Installation of individual treatment facilities by small healthcare establishments requires comparatively high capital investment and demands separate manpower and infrastructure development.

“This is not cost effective for the small hospitals and thus the concept of CBWTF not only addresses such problems but also prevents scattering of treatment equipment in a city,” pointed out Sharma. It also reduces the monitoring pressure on regulatory agencies, he added.

The two draft guidelines, he said, would address various aspects of bio-medical waste management. “Today in India there are around 54 common treatment centres but the incinerators at these centres do not have proper infrastructure and does not function properly.”

There is also a great cost difference in treating the waste by these centres. For instance at some places it costs Rs. 2.50 per kg of biomedical waste and at some places it costs Rs. 10 for the same quantity, pointed out Sharma.

Sharma said the draft would explain about the location of CBWTF, land required, coverage area, treatment equipment, infrastructure set up, record keeping, collection and transportation of bio-medical wastes disposal of treated bio-medical waste, cost to be charged by the CBWTF operator to the healthcare facilities, setting up and operation of the centre, checklist for development of common bio-medical waste treatment facility.

CBWTF as an option has also been legally introduced in India. The concept of CBWTF is also being widely accepted in India among the healthcare establishments, medical associations and entrepreneurs.

The second draft prepared by the CPCB talks about guidelines for design and construction of bio-medical waste incinerator. Explained Sharma, `` Incinerator shall be allowed only at CBWTF. However, if it is required to install individual incinerator facility by a healthcare facility, special approval shall be accorded from CPCB.''

Sharma said, “The incinerator shall be designed for capacity more than 50 kgs/hr. Each incinerator must be installed with air pollution control system in terms of High pressure Venturi Scrubbing System with it. For higher capacity incinerators, typically above 250 kgs/hr, other design e.g. Rotary kiln shall be preferred.''

It is not possible to comply with the emission norms of 150 mg/Nm3 (corrected to 12 per cent CO2) for Particulate Matter, without Air Pollution Control Device (APCD). Therefore, a bio-medical waste incinerator shall always be equipped with APCD.

“No incinerator shall be allowed to operate unless equipped with APCD”, clarified Sharma. He further added that each prescribed authority should constitute a committee comprising of atleast one SPCB/PCC expert in bio-medical waste management and an official from CPCB.