Bio-Medical Waste Management

An Environmental and Health

Paradigm

Understanding and Simplifying Bio-medical Waste Management

A training manual for trainers
International Conventions related to
Biomedical waste
• The Basel Convention on the Control of
Transboundary Movement of Hazardous Wastes
1989
• The Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic
Pollutants 2001
• The Minamata Convention on Mercury 2013

Understanding and Simplifying Bio-medical Waste Management

A training manual for trainers
International Networks related to
Bio-medical waste

WHO:
• World Alliance for Patient Safety
• Safe Injection Global Network
NGOs
Hospital waste and Sustainable hospitals:
• Health Care Without Harm (HCWH)
Anti-incineration:
• GAIA (Global Anti Incinerator Alliance)
Mercury:
• Zero Mercury working group and EEB
Understanding and Simplifying Bio-medical Waste Management
A training manual for trainers
Basel Convention

• Control of Transboundary Movement of

Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal

• Minimize hazardous waste (including

clinical waste) generation and dispose it
nearest to the point of generation

Understanding and Simplifying Bio-medical Waste Management

A training manual for trainers
Stockholm Convention on
Persistent Organic Pollutants
• A global environmental treaty
• It Entered into force on 17 May 2004 with
ratification by 180 countries
• India is a signatory of this convention and
ratified it in 2006
• Aims to eliminate or reduce the release of
persistent organic pollutants (POPs) into
the environment

Understanding and Simplifying Bio-medical Waste Management

A training manual for trainers
Stockholm and Medical waste

• PVC in medical waste responsible for

release of Dioxins and Furans
• Indian Rules set out a phase out date for
PVC Products (BMW 2016)
• Standard set for Dioxins &Furans
(0.1ngTEQ/Nm3)

Understanding and Simplifying Bio-medical Waste Management

A training manual for trainers
Minamata Convention

• To protect human health and the

environment from mercury
• Adopted in 2013
• Phase out of Mercury added products,
including mercury medical instruments,
by 2020

Understanding and Simplifying Bio-medical Waste Management

A training manual for trainers
India on the mercury front

• India is a signatory to the convention

• Mercury containing lamps has been
included in the revised E waste regulation
• EPR is applicable to disposal of mercury
containing lamps
• India has shifted 32 of its chlor alkali
plants to mercury free technology

Understanding and Simplifying Bio-medical Waste Management

A training manual for trainers
World alliance for patient safety
• In 2002, World Health assembly passed a
resolution calling member states to work for
safety of Patients.
• In 2004, World Alliance for Patient safety
was formed.
• First Challenge is “Clean care is Safer Care”
(2005)
• A formal pledge committing to address
health care-associated infection in the
country was signed by Government of India.

Understanding and Simplifying Bio-medical Waste Management

A training manual for trainers
Priority areas for Patient safety

• Safe clinical practices and hand hygiene

• Safe Surgical practices
• Blood Safety
• Safe Injections Practices
• Health Care Waste Management

Understanding and Simplifying Bio-medical Waste Management

A training manual for trainers
Health care associated infections

• HCAIs complicate between 5-10% of admissions

in acute care hospitals in industrialized countries
• It is estimated that this risk is up to 20 times
higher in developing world
• At any given time, 1.4 million people worldwide
suffer from HCAI, and at least 50% of HCAI are
preventable.

Understanding and Simplifying Bio-medical Waste Management

A training manual for trainers