Biomedical waste includes human waste, animal waste, and materials contaminated with blood or body fluids. It is generated during diagnosis, treatment, research, or testing involving humans or animals. The main types are infectious waste, sharps, pathological waste, pharmaceutical waste, and genotoxic waste. Healthcare facilities, research labs, and clinics produce the majority of biomedical waste. Exposure to biomedical waste puts sanitation workers, medical staff, and patients at risk of diseases. Proper management includes segregating, storing, transporting, and treating waste before disposal to prevent disease transmission. Treatment methods include incineration, autoclaving, chemical disinfection, and secured landfilling. Following universal safety precautions and biomedical waste rules

1. Biomedical Waste Management
Mr. Gunjal Prasad N.
Assistant Professor
Dept. of Microbiology

2. Introduction
 What is Biomedical Waste ?
 Infectious wastes (also called biomedical waste) include
–
 Human waste,
 Animal waste and
 Objects and materials contaminated with blood and body
fluids containing disease-causing micro-organisms or
viruses.
 OR 5/13/20182

3. What is Biomedical Waste ?
 It is defined as
 “Any solid and/or liquid waste including
its container and any intermediate
product, which is generated during the
diagnosis, treatment or immunization of
human beings or animals or in research
activities pertaining there to or in the
production or testing of biologicals and
including categories mentioned ”.
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4. 5/13/20184

5. WHO GENERATES BMW?
5
 Waste generated by –
 Healthcare facilities
 Research facilities
 Laboratories
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6. What is Infectious Medical Waste
 Infectious Medical Waste is defined as medical
waste capable of producing an infectious disease.
 Waste is considered Infectious when it is:
 Contaminated by an organism that is pathogenic to
healthy humans;
 The organism is not routinely available in the
environment; and
 The organism is in significant quantity and capable of
transmitting the disease to community.
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7. India to Relook into Safe Practices
 Bio-medical or infectious waste has not received its
due attention in developing countries like India.
 It is being collected and disposed off along with the
municipal solid waste (MSW).
 Therefore, infectious waste management schemes
should be designed carefully by taking in account the
correct factors and giving them due weight age.
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8. 5/13/20188

9. HEALTHCARE WASTE CHARACTERIZATION
9
Healthcare Waste
80% Non-
infectious
15% Infectious 5% Hazardous
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10. CLASSIFICATION OF HOSPITAL WASTE
Non-Hazardous Waste
Bio-
degradable
Non bio-
degradable
Potentially Infectious Waste
Dressings,
swabs,
laboratory
wastes,
instruments used
in patient care..
Potentially Toxic Waste
Radioactive Chemical Pharmaceutical
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11. 5/13/201811
 According to Ministry of Environment and Forests
(MoEF) –
 Biomedical waste generated in India / day =
4,05,702 kg.
 Off which properly disposed waste is only =
2,91,983/kg/day.
 Almost 28% waste is left untreated and not disposed
and mixed with community waste ( dump, water
bodies).
 Karnataka tops the chart in generating Biomedical
waste.

12. Categories of Persons Exposed to Risk of
Infection
Sanitation
workers
Medical &
Paramedical
staff
Patients
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13. Diseases Caused by Blood borne Pathogens
 Malaria
 Rabies
 Syphilis
 Tularemia
 Viral Hemorrhagic
Fevers
 Arbovirus infections
 Brucellosis
 Creutzfeldt-Jakob
Disease
 Leptospirosis
 HIV / AIDS
 Hepatitis B & C
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14. Can we handle ???
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15. Blood borne Pathogen Standard
Defines Infectious Medical Waste as:
 Liquid or semi-liquid blood or other potentially infectious
materials (OPIM),
 Contaminated items that would release blood or OPIM in a
liquid or semi-liquid state if compressed,
 Items caked with dried blood or OPIM that would dislodge
during handling,
 Contaminated sharps, and
 Pathological and microbial wastes containing blood or OPIM
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16. Other Potentially Infectious Material
OPIM
 Any body fluid with visible blood
 Amniotic fluid
 Cerebrospinal fluid
 Pericardial fluid
 Peritoneal fluid
 Pleural fluid
 Saliva in dental procedures
 Semen/vaginal secretions
 Synovial fluid
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17. Routes of Transmission
By ingestion
(contaminated
unwashed hands,
contaminated food
stuffs, water etc)
Intact or non
intact skin,
mucous
membranes
Inhalation of
dust particles
containing
germs
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18. Transmission of Blood and Fluid
Borne Pathogens
An exposure incident does not guarantee disease
transmission.
Several factors affect transmission:
 Infected Source – the disease stage of the source.
 Means of Entry - severity or depth of the: puncture
wound, broken skin, or direct contact with mucus
membrane.
 Infective Dose - the amount and type of fluid, as well
as the amount of infectious agent in the fluid Blood is
the fluid of greatest concern.
 Susceptible Host - immunocompromised
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19. Blood-borne Pathogens (BBP)
 Blood-borne pathogens (BBP) are specific
microorganisms transmitted in human blood or bodily
fluids, which can cause disease in people.
 There are three major BBPs:
 Hepatitis B (HBV)
 causes inflammation of the liver that might lead to liver
failure
 completely preventable by a vaccine
 Hepatitis C (HCV)
 also causes inflammation of the liver,
 no vaccine to prevent infection
 Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)
 HIV is a human retrovirus that causes AIDS (Acquired
Immune Deficiency Syndrome).
 There is no vaccine to prevent HIV
infection.
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20. Routes of exposure
 Blood-borne Pathogens such as HBV, HCV and HIV are
transmitted through contact with human blood and bodily
fluids.
 Contacts include:
 “Sharps” exposures in occupational settings.
 Sexual activity
 Sharing of needles
 Mother-to-child exposures at birth
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21. Never forget to take Hepatitis B Vaccine
if You are a HCW

22. Universal (Standard) Precautions
“Precautions to protect against exposure must be
taken when there is any potential for exposure to
bodily fluids. It is assumed that all bodily fluids
have the potential to transmit disease”
The Universal Precaution Rule:
Treat all human blood, bodily fluids and other
potentially infectious materials as if they are
infectious.
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23. Universal Safety Precautions
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24. Universal Safety Precautions
Medical & Paramedical staff should be
vaccinated against Hepatitis B
Using heavy duty gloves especially
while dealing with infectious wastes
Recapping needles should be
discouraged. In case, if unavoidable
single handed method should be used
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25.  BMW Rules have been adopted and
notified with the objective to stop the
indiscriminate disposal of hospital waste/
bio-medical waste and ensure that such
waste is handled without any adverse
effect on the human health and
environment.
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BIO-MEDICAL WASTE (MANAGEMENT &
HANDLING) RULES 1998

26. Steps for Effective BMW Management
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27. Waste Survey
Waste survey is an important component of
the waste management scheme.
A survey helps in evaluation both the type
and quantity of waste generated in
hospitals.
Aims:
• Differentiate the types of waste.
• Quantify the waste generated.
• Determine the points of generation &
type of waste generated at each point.
• Determine the level of generation &
disinfection within the hospital.
• To find out the type of disposal carried
out.
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28. Waste & Segregation Collection According to color
code
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COLOR CODE TYPE OF CONTAINER
Yellow Plastic bags
Red Disinfected container/plastic bag
Blue/white transparent Plastic bags/puncture proof container
Black Plastic bag
Color code subject to change according to guidelines by various Biomedical
waste disposal companies / WHO / CDC / National Policies / State Polices

29. Segregation
 Segregation refers to the basic separation of different
categories of waste generated at source and thereby reducing
the risks as well as cost of handling and disposal.
 Segregation is the most crucial step in bio-medical waste
management.
 Effective segregation alone can ensure effective bio-medical
waste management.
 The BMWs must be segregated in accordance to guidelines
laid down under schedule 1 of BMW Rules, 1998.
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30. Collection of Infectious Waste
 Infectious medical wastes must be collected at the
point of generation in the appropriate color coded
bags.
 Biohazard bags must be labeled with the
international biohazard symbol and appropriate
wording; “biohazard,” “biomedical waste,” “infectious
medical waste,” or “regulated medical waste”.
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31. Storage
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Once collection occurs then biomedical
waste is stored in a proper place.
Segregated wastes of different
categories need to be collected in
identifiable containers.
The duration of storage should not
exceed for 8-10 hrs in big hospitals
(more than 250 bedded) and 24 hrs in
nursing homes.
Each container may be clearly labeled to
show the ward or room where it is kept.
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32. Handling Devices
 Trolleys
 Wheelbarrows
 Channels / Chute - sloping channel through which
things can descend.
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33. Transport
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The waste should be transported for treatment either in
trolleys or in covered wheelbarrow.
Manual loading should be avoided as far as for as possible.
The bags / Container containing BMWs should be tied/
lidded before transportation.
Before transporting the bag containing BMWs, it should be
accompanied with a signed document by Nurse/ Doctor
mentioning date, shift, quantity and destination.

34. Transport
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Special vehicles must be used so as to prevent access
to, and direct contact with, the waste by the
transportation operators, the scavengers and the public.
The transport containers should be properly enclosed
and the driver must be trained in the procedures he must
follow in case of an accidental spillage.
It should also be possible to wash the interior of the
containers thoroughly.

35. Chemical Processes
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 These processes use chemical that act as disinfectants.
 Sodium hypochlorite, dissolved chlorine dioxide, per
acetic acid, hydrogen peroxide, dry inorganic chemical
and ozone are examples of such chemical.

36. Thermal Processes
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Autoclaving,
Microwaving,
Incinerator &
Hydroclaving

37. Mechanical Processes
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These processes are used to change the physical form or
characteristics of the waste either to facilitate waste
handling or to process the waste.
The two primary mechanical processes are –
Compaction - used to reduce the volume of the waste.
Shredding - used to destroy plastic and paper waste to
prevent their reuse. Only the disinfected waste can be
used in a shredder.

38. Irradiation Processes
 Exposes wastes to ultraviolet or ionizing radiation in
an enclosed chamber.
 These systems require post shredding to render the
waste unrecognizable.
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39. Categories of BMW
CATEGORY TYPE OF WASTE TREATMENT &
DISPOSAL
Category 1 Human anatomical wastes Incineration/ deep burial
Category 2 Animal wastes Incineration/ deep burial
Category 3 Microbiology & biotechnology
waste
Local autoclaving/
microwaving/incineratio
n
Category 4 Waste sharps like needles,
syringes, scalpels, blades, glass
etc
Disinfection
(Chemical/autoclaving/m
icro waving &
mutilation/shredding)
Category 5 Discarded Medicines & cytotoxic
drugs
Incineration/destruction
& disposal in land fills
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40. CATEGORY TYPE OF WASTE TREATMENT &
DISPOSAL
Category 6 Soiled wastes
Items contaminated with blood,
body fluids including cotton,
dressings etc
Incineration,
autoclaving,microwavi
ng
Category 7 Solid wastes like catheters, IV
sets etc.
Disinfection by
chemical
treatment/autoclaving/
micro waving and
mutilation & shredding
Category 8 Liquid wastes
Laboratory, blood banks,
hospitals, house etc.
Disinfection by
chemicals and
discharge into drains
Category 9 Incineration ash Disposal in municipal
land fills
Category 10 Chemical wastes Chemical treatment &
discharge into drains
for liquid and secured
land fills for solids.40 5/13/2018

41. COLOR
CODE
TYPE OF CONTAINER WASTE
CATEGORY
TREATMENT
OPTIONS
Yellow Plastic bags 1, 2, 3 and 6 Incineration/deep burial
Red Disinfected container/plastic
bag
3, 6 & 7 Autoclaving/Micro
Waving/Chemical
treatment
Blue/white
transparent
Plastic bags/puncture proof
container
4 & 7 Autoclaving/Micro
waving/chemical
treatment, Destruction &
shredding
Black Plastic bag 5, 8 & 9 Disposal in secured land
fills
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42. Hopefully as these environmental health hazards
are exposed, changes will be made to protect the
future of our 'Earth' and the living beings that
inhabit it!
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