VELAMMAL VIDHYASHRAM

MAMBAKKAM

ALL INDIA SENIOR SCHOOL

BIOLOGY (044)
INVESTIGATORY PROJECT REPORT
ON
 BIOMEDICAL WASTE
2022 - 2023

NAME – SAKTHI SHREE.I

ROLL NO -

CLASS - XII

SECTION - D

GROUP – BIO MATHS

BONAFIDE CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that this BIOLOGY Investigatory Project on the topic

BIOMEDICAL WASTE has been successfully completed by SAKTHI SHREE.I of

class XII (BIOLOGY – 044 ), Roll.no…………………. at Velammal Vidhyashram,

Mambakkam for the partial fulfilment of this project as a part of All India

Senior School Certificate Examination-CBSE, New Delhi for the academic Year

2022– 2023.

Date: …………….
Signature of Principal Signature of the Guide

Name: Mrs.JALPA SHREYAS SHAH Name: Dr.J.HELAN CHANDRA

Signature of the Signature of the

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The success of any project depends largely on people associated with it. I would

like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the enthusiasm of all these

personalities.

I hereby express my heartfelt thanks to our

Senior Principal Mrs.JALPA SHREYAS SHAH for having given

this opportunity to do the project in the biology laboratory and for her

constant encouragement.

I extend my sincere gratitude to my Biology teacher Dr.J.Helan Chandra for the

valuable guidance offered to me. Her wholehearted encouragement and

successfully.

I am also thankful to all our Teaching Staff and Non Teaching Staff for their

help during my course of study.

I take this opportunity to express my sincere thanks to my parents for their

SAKTHI SHREE.I

XII-D

INDEX
S.NO CONTENT PAGE NO

1 INTRODUCTION 1
2 CLASSIFICATION OF BIOMEDICAL WASTE 2
3 SOURCES OF BIOMEDICAL 3
3.1 MAJOR SOURCE
3.2 MINOR SOURCE
4 PROBLEMS RELATING TO BIOMEDICAL WASTE 5
5 NEEDS OF BIOMEDICAL WASTE MANAGEMENT IN HOSPITALS 7
6 BIO MEDICAL WASTE MANAGEMENT PROCESS 8
7 BIOMEDICAL WASTE TREATMENT AND DISPORSAL 9
7.1 INCINERATION TECHNOLOGY
7.2 NON INCINERATION TECHNOLOGY
7.3 CHEMICAL METHOD
7.4 PLASMA PYROLYSIS
 8 BENEFIT OF BIOMEDICAL WASTE MANAGEMENT 11
9 RECCOMANDATION 12
10 CONCLUSION 13
11 BIBLIOGRAPHY 14

FIGURES
FIG.NO FIGURE NAME PAGE NO

1 BIOMEDICAL WASTE IN PERCENTAGE 3

4 TOXIC EFFECT 13
1. INTRODUCTION:

Biomedical waste management has recently emerged as an issue of major

concern not only to hospitals, nursing home authorities but also to the

environment. the bio-medical wastes generated from health care units depend

upon a number of factors such as waste management methods, type of health

care units, occupancy of healthcare units, specialization of healthcare units,

ratio of reusable items in use, availability f infrastructure and resources etc.

The proper management of biomedical waste has become a worldwide.

Humanitarian topic today. Although hazards of poor management of

biomedical waste have aroused the concern world over, especially in the light

of it’s far reaching effects on human, health and the environment.

Now it is a well-established fact that there are many adverse and harmful

effects to the environment including human beings which are caused by the

"Hospital waste" generated during the patient care. Hospital waste is a

potential health hazard to the health care workers, public and flora and fauna

of the area. The problems of the waste disposal in the hospitals and other

health-care institutions have become issues of increasing concern.

Page 1 of 14
2. CLASSIFICATION OF BIO-MEDICAL WASTE:

The World Health Organization (WHO) has classified medical waste into eight

categories:

➢ General Waste

➢ Pathological

➢ Radioactive

➢ Chemical

➢ Infectious to potentially infectious waste

➢ Sharps ➢ Pharmaceuticals

➢ Pressurized containers

3. SOURCES OF BIO-MEDICAL WASTE:

Page 2 of 14
Hospitals produce waste, which is increasing over the years in its amount and

type. The hospital waste, in addition to the risk for patients and personnel

who handle them also poses a threat to public health and environment.

3.1 MAJOR SOURCES :

➢ Govt. hospitals/private hospitals/nursing homes/ dispensaries.

➢ Primary health centres .

➢ Medical colleges and research centres /paramedic services.

➢ Veterinary colleges and animal research centres .

➢ Blood banks/mortuaries/autopsy centres .

➢ Biotechnology institutions.

➢ Production units.

FIG.1 - BIOMEDICAL WASTE IN PERCENTAGE

3.2 MINOR SOURCES:

➢ Physicians/ dentists' clinics.

Page 3 of 14
➢ Animal houses/slaughter houses.

➢ Blood donation camps.

➢ Vaccination centres.

➢ Acupuncturists/psychiatric clinics/cosmetic piercing.

➢ Funeral services.

➢ Institutions for disabled persons.

FIG.2 – BIOMEDICAL WASTE IN HOSPITALS

4. PROBLEMS RELATING TO BIO-MEDICAL WASTE:

Page 4 of 14
 A major issue related to current Bio-Medical waste management

in many hospitals is that the implementation of Bio-Waste regulation is

unsatisfactory as some hospitals are disposing of waste in a haphazard,

improper and indiscriminate manner. Lack of segregation practices,

results in mixing of hospital wastes with general waste making the whole

waste stream hazardous. Inappropriate segregation ultimately results in

an incorrect method of waste disposal.

Inadequate Bio-Medical waste management thus will cause

environmental pollution, unpleasant smell, growth and multiplication of

vectors like insects, rodents and worms and may lead to the transmission

of diseases like typhoid, cholera, hepatitis and AIDS through injuries from

syringes and needles contaminated with human.

Various communicable diseases, which spread through water, sweat,

blood, body fluids and contaminated organs, are important to be prevented.

The Bio Medical Waste scattered in and around the hospitals invites flies,

insects, rodents, cats and dogs that are responsible for the spread of

communication disease like plague and rabies. Rag pickers in the hospital,

sorting out the garbage are at a risk of getting tetanus and HIV infections. The

recycling of disposable syringes, needles, IV sets and other article like glass

bottles without proper sterilization are responsible for Hepatitis, HIV, and

other viral diseases. It becomes primary responsibility of Health

Page 5 of 14
administrators to manage hospital waste in most safe and ecofriendly

manner.

The problem of bio-medical waste disposal in the hospitals and other

healthcare establishments has become an issue of increasing concern,

prompting hospital administration to seek new ways of scientific, safe and

cost effective management of the waste, and keeping their personnel

informed about the advances in this area. The need of proper hospital waste

management system is of prime importance and is an essential component

of quality assurance in hospitals.

Page 6 of 14
5. NEED OF BIO-MEDICAL WASTE MANAGEMENT IN HOSPITALS: The

reasons due to which there is great need of management of hospitals

waste such as:

1. Injuries from sharps leading to infection to all categories of hospital

personnel and waste handler.

2. nosocomial infections in patients from poor infection control

practices and poor waste management.

3. Risk of infection outside hospital for waste handlers and scavengers

and at time general public living in the vicinity of hospitals.

4. Risk associated with hazardous chemicals, drugs to persons handling

wastes at all levels.

5. "Disposable" being repacked and sold by unscrupulous elements

without even being washed.

6. Drugs which have been disposed of, being repacked and sold off to

unsuspecting buyers.

7. Risk of air, water and soil pollution directly due to waste, or due to

defective incineration emissions and ash.

Page 7 of 14
6. BIO-MEDICAL WASTE MANAGEMENT PROCESS:

There is a big network of Health Care Institutions in India. The hospital

waste like body parts, organs, tissues, blood and body fluids along with

soiled linen, cotton, bandage and plaster casts from infected and

contaminated areas are very. Essential to be properly collected, segregated,

stored, transported, treated and disposed of in safe manner to prevent

nosocomial or hospital acquired infection.

1. Waste collection

2. Segregation

3. Transportation and storage

4. Treatment & Disposal

5. Transport to final disposal site

6. Final disposal

Page 8 of 14
7. Biomedical Waste Treatment and Disposal

Health care waste is a heterogeneous mixture, which is very difficult to

manage as such. But the problem be simplified and its dimension reduced

co a proper management system is planned.

7.1 Incineration Technology

This is a high temperature thermal process employing combustion of

the waste under controlled condition for converting them into inert

material and gases. Incinerators can be oil fired or electrically powered or

a combination thereof. Broadly, three types of incinerators are used for

hospital waste: multiple hearth type, rotary kiln and controlled air types.

All the types can have primary and secondary combustion chambers to

ensure optimal combustion. These are refractory lined.

7.2 Non-Incineration Technology

Non-incineration treatment includes four basic processes: thermal,

chemical, irradiative, and biological. The majority of non-incineration

technologies employ the thermal and chemical processes. The main

purpose of the treatment. Technology is to decontaminate waste by

destroying pathogens. Facilities should make certain that the technology

could meet state criteria for disinfection.

7.3 Chemical Methods

1% hypochlorite solution can be used for chemical disinfection

Page 9 of 14
7.4 Plasma Pyrolysis

Plasma pyrolysis is a state-of-the-art technology for safe disposal of

medical waste. It is an environment-friendly technology, which converts

organic waste into commercially useful by products. The intense heat

generated by the plasma enables it to dispose all types of waste including

municipal solid waste, biomedical waste and hazardous waste in a safe and

reliable manner. Medical waste is pyrolysis into CO, H2, and hydrocarbons

when it comes in contact with the plasma-arc. These gases are burned and

produce a high temperature (around 1200°C).

FIG.3 – BIOMEDICAL RECYCLING

Page 10 of 14
8. BENEFITS OF BIO-MEDICAL WASTE MANAGEMENT:

➢ Cleaner and healthier surroundings.

➢ Reduction in the incidence of hospital acquired and general infections.

➢ Reduction in the cost of infection control within the hospital.

➢ Reduction in the possibility of disease and death due to reuse and

repackaging of infectious disposables. Reduction in the cost of waste

management and generation of revenue through appropriate treatment

and disposal of waste.

➢ Improved image of the healthcare establishment and increase the

life.

Page 11 of 14
Page 12 of 14
9. RECCOMANDATIONS:

❖ For the use of incinerator Training should be given to some number of

persons from staff.

❖ Specific fund should be allocated for the use of incinerator. ❖ Every

hospital should have special boxes to use as dustbin for biomedical

waste.

❖ Bio-medical waste should not be mixed with other waste of Municipal

❖ Private hospitals should also be allowed to use incinerator, which is

installed, in govt. hospital. For this purpose a specific fee can be charged

from private hospitals.

❖ Special vehicle i.e. bio-medical waste vehicle should be started to

collect waste from private hospitals and private medical clinics and

carry it up to the main incinerator.

❖ Either judicial powers should be given to the management board or

special court should be established in the matters of environment

pollution for imposing fines and awarding damages

etc.

❖ There is biomedical waste label on waste carry bags and waste carry

trolley and also poster has put on the wall adjacent to the bins (waste)

giving details about the type of waste that has to dispose in the baggage
 as per biomedical waste management rule. Carry bags also have the

biohazard symbol on them.

Page 12 of 14

FIG.4 – TOXIC EFECT

10. CONCLUSION

Medical wastes should be classified according to their source,

typology and risk factors associated with their handling, storage and

ultimate disposal. The segregation of waste at source is the key step and

reduction, reuse and recycling should be considered in proper perspectives.

We need to consider 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, therefore, is to

scientifically manage growing quantities of biomedical waste that go

beyond past practices. If we want to protect our environment and health

in the interest of health managers but also in the interest of community.

Page 13 of 14

11. BIBLIOGRAPHY

1. Bekir Onursal, Health Care Waste Management in India. The world Bank

(2003).

2. CEET: Biomedical Waste Management-Burgeoning issue (2008)

3. Dr. Saurabh Sikka, Biomedical Waste in Indian Context.

4. Glenn, Mc.R & Garwal, R. Clinical waste in Developing Countries. An analysis

with a Case Study of India, and a Critique of the Basle TWG Guidelines (1999)

5. Govt. of India, Ministry of Environment and Forests Gazette notification No460

dated July 27, New Delhi: 1998: 10-203.

6. Gravers PD. Management of Hospital Wastes- An overview.

Proceedings of National workshop on Management of Hospital

Waste,(1998)

7. Hem Chandra, Hospital Waste an Environmental Hazard and Its Management,

(1999).

8. The Bio Medical Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, (1998). 9. Thornton

J., Tally MC, Orris P., Wentreg J. Hospitals and plastics Dioxin prevention and

Medical Waste Incineration; Public Health Reports. 1996;1:299-313.