The solid waste management cell (SWM) set up under the department of science and technology has found that the Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMC) is not adopting proper collection and segregation method for biomedical waste.
Though there are three incinerators of different capacities at the GMC, only one incinerator with capacity of approximately 50 kg/hr in working condition making it difficult to treat about 1 tonne of medical waste that generates daily. There is a need to upgrade the facilities with the capacity to treat 120kg per hour. In absence of bio-medical waste treatment facilities in the state, most hospitals and health care facilities generate a lot of waste and uses dip pit burial method for disposal while other health-care facilities in major town and city could not adopt such method in absence of land.
Biomedical waste comprises human and animal anatomical waste, treatment apparatus like needles, syringes and other material used in health care facilities in the process of treatment and research.
Common bio-medical waste management facilities have not yet come up in the state though there is a proposal to have such facility. Notably, the GMC will outsource the work to upgrade its incinerator for effective disposal of bio-medical waste and could even earn revenue on this.
There are no clear guidelines by which one can dispose of medical waste that is generated at home. Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) says the new rules have not prescribed proper procedure for disposal of used sanitary napkins, disposable diapers, used condoms or any material contaminated with body fluid, blood which turns hazardous if handled carelessly.
It may be recalled that the first consignment of bio-medical waste (BMW) which was outsourced to the Karnataka-based bio-medical waste agency was supposed to be transported to Huballi-Dharwad bio-medical waste common treatment facility by first week of February. But the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) revoked its permission for collection, transportation, treatment and disposal of bio-medical waste into the state in the backdrop of Mhadei water dispute with Goa.