Healthcare activities play a vital role in protecting and saving lives, but they also generate waste and by-products that can have serious public health consequences and a significant impact on the environment. According to Dr. Deepali Kadam, Associate Professor at K.J. Somaiya Medical College and Research Centre, approximately 15% of the total waste generated by healthcare activities is hazardous, while the remaining 85% is general non-hazardous waste.
The Ministry of Environment and Forest formulated biomedical waste rules in 1998 to ensure the proper management and handling of waste generated from hospitals, clinics, and other institutions. Healthcare waste includes infectious waste, such as blood and body fluids, laboratory waste, and waste from patients; pharmaceutical waste, including expired and unused drugs and vaccines; cytotoxic waste from cancer treatment; and radioactive waste from diagnostic and radiotherapeutic materials.
Inadequate and inappropriate handling of healthcare waste can lead to the release of pathogens and toxic pollutants into the environment, contaminating drinking and groundwater. The reuse of improperly disposed of syringes, needles, expired medicines, and medical devices also poses a risk of infection propagation within the general public.
To address these concerns, healthcare personnel of all cadres must be trained and made aware of the hazards associated with biomedical waste. Hospitals should implement stringent Hospital Infection Control Practices and conduct periodic audits to monitor the effectiveness of training. Sustainable healthcare practices, such as the segregation, collection, disposal, and transportation of waste to Common Biomedical Waste Treatment Facilities within 24-48 hours, are crucial in reducing cross-contamination.
The government has introduced a barcoding system to identify non-compliance in waste management, and a color-coding system is followed to segregate and collect biomedical waste generated in hospitals. Accreditation by national and international regulatory bodies, such as the Quality Council of India - National Accreditation Board for Hospitals, Joint Commission International, and College of American Pathologists, helps reinforce the effective execution of policies and rules.
Recycling of plastic waste post-disinfection and exploring alternative technologies for biomedical waste disposal, such as thermal, chemical, irradiative, and biological processes, are promising approaches to creating an eco-friendly environment. However, most of these methods are still under research.
To ensure that healthcare practices become sustainable and planet-friendly, it is essential to integrate them into the community's way of living. By creating awareness, implementing strict regulations, and adopting innovative waste management techniques, the healthcare sector can significantly reduce its environmental footprint and contribute to a healthier planet.
