Delhi government plans steps to ensure proper disposal of bio-medical waste

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“It takes time to clear the waste, even in government hospitals. Though most hospitals autoclave the waste, there is always a risk factor attached,” said a government official.

“Two companies are not enough to cover the whole of Delhi. We are thinking of inviting other companies, which will offer us competitive prices,” he added.

Autoclaving is a process to sterilise hazardous medical waste, right before their disposal.

The official pointed out that the health department has no mechanism in place to keep a tab on the process of waste disposal. “We are planning to put up CCTVs at the sites from where the waste is picked up, autoclaved and disposed off,” he added.

Some private hospitals have handed over the task of disposing off the bio-medical waste to unlicensed firms, said the
official.

“These companies may not follow all the processes that include shredding the used plastic material, which is later sold to factories for recycling. We want to ensure that the plastic items are shredded and recycled only after that. We are working towards evolving a mechanism to ensure that all the steps in disposing of bio-medical waste is followed,” said a DPCC official.