BIOMEDICAL WASTE (BMW)
MANAGEMENT

By

P. Sai Naveen Kumar

What is BMW?
• It is defined as “Any solid and/or liquid waste including its

container and any intermediate product, which is
generated during the diagnosis, treatment or
immunization of human beings or animals”.

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WHO GENERATES BMW?
• Waste generated by
– Healthcare facilities
– Research facilities
– Laboratories

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HEALTHCARE WASTE CHARACTERIZATION
85% Non-infectious

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CLASSIFICATION OF HOSPITAL WASTE
Non-Hazardous Waste

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Categories of Persons Exposed to Risk of
Infection
Sanitation workers

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Categories of BMW
CATEGORY

TYPE OF WASTE

TREATMENT & DISPOSAL

Category 1

Human anatomical wastes

Incineration/ deep burial

Category 2

Animal wastes

Incineration/ deep burial

Category 3

Microbiology & biotechnology waste

Local autoclaving/
microwaving/incineration

Category 4

Waste sharps like needles, syringes,
scalpels, blades, glass etc

Disinfection
(Chemical/autoclaving/micro
waving &
mutilation/shredding)

Category 5

Discarded Medicines & cytotoxic drugs

Incineration/destruction &
disposal in land fills

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CATEGORY

TYPE OF WASTE

TREATMENT & DISPOSAL

Category 6

Soiled wastes
Items contaminated with blood, body
fluids including cotton, dressings etc

Incineration,autoclaving,mi
crowaving

Category 7

Solid wastes like catheters, IV sets etc.

Disinfection by chemical
treatment/autoclaving/mic
ro waving and mutilation &
shredding

Category 8

Liquid wastes
Laboratory, blood banks, hospitals,
house etc.

Disinfection by chemicals
and discharge into drains

Category 9

Incineration ash

Disposal in municipal land
fills

Category 10

Chemical wastes

Chemical treatment &
discharge into drains for
liquid and secured land fills
for solids.

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COLOR
CODE

TYPE OF CONTAINER

WASTE
CATEGORY

TREATMENT
OPTIONS

Yellow

Plastic bags

1, 2, 3 and 6

Incineration/deep burial

Red

Disinfected container/plastic
bag

3, 6 & 7

Autoclaving/Micro
Waving/Chemical
treatment

Blue/white
transparent

Plastic bags/puncture proof
container

4&7

Autoclaving/Micro
waving/chemical
treatment, Destruction &
shredding

Black

Plastic bag

5, 8 & 9

Disposal in secured land
fills

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Health Hazards
Risk of HIV & HBV

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Routes of Transmission

y ingestion (contaminated unwashed hands, contaminated food stuffs, water etc)

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Precautions

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Environment Legislation

•

The Air (PControl of Pollution) Act, prevention and 1981
The Environment (Protection) Act, 1986
The Hazardous Waste (Management & Handling) Rules, 1989
The National Environmental Tribunal Act, 1995

•

The Biomedical Waste (Management & Handling) Rules, 1998

•

The Municipal Solid Waste (Management & Handling) Rules, 2000

•
•
•

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BIO-MEDICAL WASTE (MANAGEMENT &
HANDLING) RULES 1998

• BMW Rules have been adopted and notified with the objective
to stop the indiscriminate disposal of hospital waste/
bio-medical waste and ensure that such waste is handled without
any adverse effect on the human health and environment.
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Steps for Effective BMW Management

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Waste Survey
Waste survey is an important component of the
waste management scheme. A survey helps in
evaluation both the type and quantity of waste
generated in hospitals.
Aims:
• Differentiate the types of waste
• Quantify the waste generated
• Determine the points of generation & type of
waste generated at each point
• Determine the level of generation &
disinfection within the hospital
• To find out the type of disposal carried out

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Segregation
•

•

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Segregation refers to the basic
separation of different categories of
waste generated at source and thereby
reducing the risks as well as cost of
handling and disposal.
Segregation is the most crucial step in
bio-medical waste management.
Effective segregation alone can
ensure effective bio-medical waste
management.
The BMWs must be segregated in
accordance to guidelines laid down
under schedule 1 of BMW Rules,
1998.

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Collection

•The collection of biomedical waste involves use of different types of container .
• The containers/ bins should be placed in such a way that 100 % collection is achieved.
• Sharps must always be kept in puncture-proof containers to avoid injuries and infection
to the workers handling them.
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Storage

Once collection occurs then biomedical waste is stored in a proper place. Segregated wastes of
different categories need to be collected in identifiable containers. The duration of storage should
not exceed for 8-10 hrs in big hospitals (more than 250 bedded) and 24 hrs in nursing homes.
Each container may be clearly labelled to show the ward or room where it is kept. The reason for
this labelling is that it may be necessary to trace the waste back to its source. Besides this, storage
area should be marked with a caution sign.
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Transport

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Handling Devices
• Trolleys
• Wheelbarrows
• Chutes

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Treatment
•
•
•
•
•

Chemical processes
Thermal processes
Mechanical processes
Irradiation processes
Biological processes

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Chemical Processes

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Thermal Processes

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Mechanical Processes

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Irradiation Processes
• Exposes wastes to ultraviolet or ionizing
radiation in an enclosed chamber. These
systems require post shredding to render the
waste unrecognizable.

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Biological Processes

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Using biological enzymes for treating medical waste. It is claimed that
biological reactions will not only decontaminate the waste but also cause
the destruction of all the organic constituents so that only plastics, glass,
and other inert will remain in the residues.
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DO’s &
DONT’s

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Conclusion

•

•

We need innovative and radical measures to clean up the distressing picture of
lack of civic concern on the part of hospitals and slackness in government
implementation of bare minimum of rules, as waste generation particularly
biomedical waste imposes increasing direct and indirect costs on society.
The challenge before us is to scientifically manage growing quantities of
biomedical waste that go beyond past practices.
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Thank you
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