Biomedical Waste Management What is Biomedical Waste ? “Waste generated during the diagnosis, treatment or immunization of human beings or animals or in research activities pertaining there to or in the production or testing of biologicals. Classification of Hazardous waste WHO has classified hazardous waste into following categories: Infectious waste: (Suspected to contain pathogens), e.g laboratory culture, waste from isolation Pathological waste: (Containing human tissue or fluids), e.g body parts, blood and other body fluids, fetuses 3.Sharps(Sharp material), e.g needles, infusion sets, scalpel, knives, blades, broken glass 4. Pharmaceutical waste: (Containing pharmaceuticals) expired drugs, contaminated bottles, boxes 5. Genotoxic waste : (Anticancer drug) Genotoxic chemicals 6. Chemical waste : Laboratory reagents, film developer, expired disinfectants, solvents Waste with heavy metals: Batteries, Broken thermometers 8. Pressurized containers: Gas cylinders, gas cartridges, aerosol cans 9. Radioactive material : e.g unused liquid from radiotherepy, contaminated glassware, Urine and excreta from Pt. treated with unsealed radio nucleotides Sources of BMW Govt./Pvt. Hospitals Nursing homes Clinics, Dispensaries Primary Healthcare centres Blood bank and collection centres Labs Research organisation and vaccination centres WHO ARE AT RISK WHO ARE AT RISK Doctors, nurses, health maintenance personnel Patients & visitors in healthcare facilities Workers in support services(laundries, waste handling and transportation) Workers in waste disposal facilities such as landfills or incinerators General public in vicinity TYPES OF HAZARDS Infections Genotoxicity & cytotoxicity Chemical toxicity Physical injuries (from sharps) Radioactivity hazards

1. Biomedical Waste Management
Dr. Sujit Kumar Shukla
Department of Biochemistry,
MSRMC,
Bangalore

3. Introduction
• What is Biomedical Waste ?
“Waste generated during the
diagnosis, treatment or immunization of
human beings or animals or in research
activities pertaining there to or in the
production or testing of biologicals.

6. Classification of Hazardous waste
• WHO has classified hazardous waste into
following categories:
1. Infectious waste: (Suspected to contain
pathogens), e.g laboratory culture, waste
from isolation
2. Pathological waste: (Containing human tissue
or fluids), e.g body parts, blood and other
body fluids, fetuses

7. 3.Sharps(Sharp material), e.g needles, infusion sets,
scalpel, knives, blades, broken glass
4. Pharmaceutical waste: (Containing pharmaceuticals)
expired drugs, contaminated bottles, boxes
5. Genotoxic waste : (Anticancer drug) Genotoxic
chemicals
6. Chemical waste : Laboratory reagents, film developer,
expired disinfectants, solvents

8. 7. Waste with heavy metals: Batteries, Broken
thermometers
8. Pressurized containers: Gas cylinders, gas
cartridges, aerosol cans
9. Radioactive material : e.g unused liquid from
radiotherepy, contaminated glassware, Urine
and excreta from Pt. treated with unsealed radio
nucleotides

9. Sources of BMW
1. Govt./Pvt. Hospitals
2. Nursing homes
3. Clinics, Dispensaries
4. Primary Healthcare centres
5. Blood bank and collection centres
6. Labs
7. Research organisation and vaccination
centres

10. 8. Health camps, Medical/ Surgical camps, Blood
donation camps
9. Biotechnology institutions/ production units.
10. Animal house/ slaughter house
11. Mortuaries

11. 1. Doctors, nurses, health maintenance
personnel
2. Patients & visitors in healthcare facilities
3. Workers in support services(laundries, waste
handling and transportation)
4. Workers in waste disposal facilities such as
landfills or incinerators
5. General public in vicinity
WHO ARE AT RISK

12. TYPES OF HAZARDS
1. Infections
2. Genotoxicity & cytotoxicity
3. Chemical toxicity
4. Physical injuries (from sharps)
5. Radioactivity hazards

13. INFECTIONS
• Mode of transmission- Puncture, abrasion, cut in
skin, through mucous membrane, by inhalation
and ingestion.
1. GIT infections through faeces, urine, vomitus.
e.g S. typhi, V. cholera, Hep. A
2. Respiratory infections thr. Inhaled secretions.
e.g M.T.B, Measles, Strep. Pneumonia
3. Blood borne disease- HIV, Hep. B & C
4. Ocular Infections- Herpes, allergic
5. Skin Infections- Dermatoses

14. Genotoxicity & cytotoxicity
• Cytotoxicity- Drugs like alkylating agents,
intercalating agents, vinca alkaloids &
derivatives and epipodophyllotoxins are
extremely irritant and harmful for skin and
eyes.
• Genotoxicity- by many neoplastic drugs;
secondary neoplasia is known to be associated
with chemotherepy.

15. Chemical toxicity
• Many chemicals and pharmaceutical drugs
may cause intoxication by acute or chronic
exposure.
• Burns
• Poisoning
Physical injuries- From sharps, chemicals and
explosive agents.

16. TREATMENT & DISPOSAL TECHNIQUE
OF BMW
Various vital steps for safe and scientific
management of biomedical wastes are:
• Segregation
• Storage
• Transportation
• Treatment
• Disposal

18. STORAGE

19. TRANSPORTATION

20. TREATMENT
• If BMW are treated in accordance with the
following procedures, the waste shall no
longer be considered biomedical waste and
may be combined and handled with regular
solid waste.
• Following procedures are to be carried only at
permitted solid waste disposal facility.

21. INCINERATION

22. AUTOCLAVE

23. HYDROCLAVE

24. PLASMA PYROLYSIS

25. MICROWAVE

26. CHEMICAL DISINFECTION
• Chemicals such as sodium hypochlorite or
chlorine dioxide are added to waste to kill or
inactivate the pathogen.
• Used for disinfecting liquid waste such as
blood, stool, urine or hospital sewage.

27. MINOR TECHNIQUE& DISPOSAL
• Mutilation and shredding for sharp wastes.
They are cut into small pieces to avoid reuse.
• Land burial- Incineration ash is buried in land
fill.
BMW treated in accordance with
regulations shall be properly disposed off at a
permitted facility.

28. SEGREGATION
Source: Bio-medical waste Management Rules, 2016, Ministry of Environment, Forest and
Climate Change, Government of India

29. RECAP

30. YELLOW BIN/BAG

31. RED BIN/BAG

32. WASTE TO BLUE BOX

33. WASTE TO WHITE CONTAINER