PRESENTATION on Statutory Provisions as per Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 for the occupier of Health Care Facilities By Miss. Charu Gupta MSc. Environment Management( F.R.I) Indira Gandhi Center for Environment Protection www.igcep.com

International Obligation for Legislating the Law to Protect the Environment The government of India was a party to the declaration of the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment, held in 1972 in Stockholm. As per the principles adopted in the conference, the parliament of India enacted the Environment Protection Act in 1986. The government of India issued various notifications for protecting the environment from time to time in compliance to the Stockholm declaration.

Environment – Legally Defined “environment” includes water, air, and land and the inter-relationship which exists among and between water, air, and land, and human beings, other living creatures, plants, micro-organisms and property. [Section 2 (a) Environment Protection Act, 1986]

Hazardous Substance - BMW It means any substance or preparation which, by reason for its chemical or physico-chemical properties or handling, is liable to cause harm to human beings other living creatures, plants, micro-organism, property or the environment [Section 2(e) Environment Protection Act, 1986] BMW – Bio-Medical Waste

Bio-Medical Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 1998 In exercise of the powers conferred by section 6, 8 and 25 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 the Central Government has notified the rules for the management and handling of bio-medical waste.

Duty of the Occupier (as per BMW Rules, 1998 issued under EP Act, 1986) It is the duty of any person who has control over the institution and/or its premises, generating bio-medical waste, which includes a hospital, nursing home, clinic dispensary, veterinary institution, animal house, pathological laboratory, blood bank, to take all steps to ensure that such waste is handled without any adverse effect to human health and the environment. Every occupier of an institution generating, collecting, receiving, storing, transporting, treating, disposing and/or handling bio-medical waste in any other manner, except such occupier of clinics, dispensaries, pathological laboratories, blood banks providing treatment/service to less than 1000 (one thousand) patients per month, has to take authorisation from the State Pollution Control Board. Every occupier/operator has to submit an annual report to the prescribed authority in Form 11 by 31 January every year, to include information about the categories and quantities of bio-medical wastes handled during the preceding year.

Penal Action (as per section 15 and 17 of The Environment Protection Act, 1986) Whoever fails to comply with or contravenes Bio-Medical Rules, 1998 shall, in respect of each failure or contravention, will be punishable with imprisonment for a term with may extend upto 5 years or with a fine which may extend upto 1 lakh rupees, or both, and in case the failure or contravention continues, with additional fine which may extend upto 5 thousand rupees for everyday during which such failure or contravention continues after conviction for the first such failure or contravention. If the failure or contravention referred to above continues beyond a period of one year of the date of conviction, the offender shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend upto 7 years.

Problem Areas Segregation and Disposal of generated Bio-Medical Waste Disinfection of waste before disposal Maintenance of hygiene and disinfection Proper Ventilation Personnel Protection Equipments for workers

Segregation and Disposal of Bio-Medical Waste (BMW) Segregation and Disposal of Bio-Medical should be strictly done as per guidelines given in the Bio-Medical Waste Management and Handling Rules, 1998. Categories of Bio-Medical Waste is given in Schedule I of the act. (Rule 5) Guidelines for segregation of the waste at source is given in Schedule II of the act. (Rule 6) As per Schedule III waste containers should have prominently visible and non washable labels. Bio-Medical waste should be transported only in such vehicle as may be authorized for the purpose by the competent authority as specified by the government. BMW should be treated and disposed off as per guidelines given in the schedule V of the act.

Categories of Bio Medical Waste Schedule I Bio Medical Waste Management and Handling Rules, 1998 Category No. I Human Anatomical Waste Category No. 2 Animal Waste Category No 3 Microbiology & Biotechnology Waste Category No 4 Waste sharps Category No 5 Discarded Medicines and Cytotoxic drugs Category No 6 Solid Waste Category No. 7 Solid Waste Category No. 8 Liquid Waste Category No. 9 Incineration Ash Category No. 10 Chemical Waste

Segregation of waste Colour Coding Type of Container -I Waste Category Treatment options as per Schedule I Yellow Plastic bag Cat. 1, Cat. 2, and Cat. 3, Cat. 6. Incineration/deep burial Red Disinfected container/plastic bag Cat. 3, Cat. 6, Cat.7. Autoclaving/Microwaving/ Chemical Treatment Blue/White translucent Plastic bag/puncture proof Cat. 4, Cat. 7. Container Chemical Treatment and destruction/shredding Black Plastic bag Cat. 5 and Cat. 9 and Cat. 10. (solid) Disposal in secured landfill

Segregation and Labeling of Bio-Medical Waste

THANK YOU ! REMEMBER IT IS OUR STATUTORY DUTY UNDER ARTICLE 51A(G) TO PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT THANK YOU ! Indira Gandhi Center for Environment Protection (www.igcep.com) 205, Village Kolhupani, Amwala Marg, Near Nanda ki Choki, Dehradun Ph:- +91 9312892003, 0135-3290727