Shija facility trashing over 300 kg bio-med waste daily
Source: Chronicle News Service / Ngangom Suraj

Imphal, January 02 2025: As strange as it may seem, just a few decades ago, reports of severed fingers, toes, and other body parts being discovered along riverbanks or in backyards and streets - often dragged out by animals - were not uncommon.

The same has now become mere narratives, thanks to advancement of techniques in biomedical waste management systems in the state.

By definition bio-medical waste refers to any waste solid/ liquid generated during diagnosis, treatment, immunization of human beings or animals and research activities in the production of testing biologicals.

Shija facility trashing over 300 kg bio-med waste daily

Shija Common Bio-Medical Waste Management Treatment Facility (CBMWTF) located at Lamdeng, which is operated by Shija Hospitals and Research Institute (SHRI), under Public Private Partnership model disposes of around 500 to 700 kilograms of biomedical waste daily before the on-going conflict and 250 to 500 kilograms daily on average currently.

The facility which is also under construction to enhance its capacity has played a crucial role in the state's operation to dispose of bio-medical wastes which could otherwise cause health as well as environmental hazards if handled improperly.

Over the course of years, stricter rules and regulations have been implemented by the government and authorities concerned for proper disposal of biomedical wastes so as to prevent health hazards.

Under the Bio-Medical Waste Management Rules, 2016, all hospitals including veterinary and clinics across the country have been made mandatory to install proper biomedical waste treatment plants.

However, apart from RIMS and JNIMS hospitals which have higher capacity treatment plants, most of the private-run hospitals do not have adequate facility for the purpose and so depend on Shija CBMWTF .

According to SHRI CBMWTF assistant manager Nameirakpam Deven, the facility was first established in the year 1996 when an electric operated 5 kg/hr waste minimiser was installed and then in 2008, an oil fired 25 kg/hour capacity incinerator was installed.

In June 2013, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) recommended to the Manipur Pollution Control Board (MSPCB) to authorise the facility as Common Bio-Medical Waste Treatment Facility of the state following which on October 18, the same year, two acres of land was allocated by MAHUD at Lamdeng for the development of the facility, he recalled.

A total of 400 hospitals including private as well as government health care facilities from across the state have been registered under the facility, Deven said, adding that the quantity of bio-medical waste collected daily has declined owing to the on going conflict in the state as collection vehicles are not allowed to pass through buffer zones.

Deven further explained that the facility has a 100 kg/hr incinerator operating at present while another 200 Kg/hr incinerator is under installation.

To ensure safety and avoid mishandling of bio-medical wastes which may range from used cotton, gloves, syringes or human parts, each bags are tagged with barcode or QR codes at the time of collection and its data recorded, he continued, adding that the purpose of this is to segregate wastes and dispose them accordingly without having to compromise its quantity.

Explaining how the incinerator works, Deven pointed out that once loaded, the incinerator is ignited, and the temperature is carefully monitored and adjusted to ensure complete combustion of the waste.

"After the incineration process is complete, the remaining ash is safely disposed of and the smoke produced during the process purified before releasing to the environment, thus significantly reducing the risk of contamination," he said.

It may be mentioned that negligence in biomedical waste management can cause pollution of land and water as well as through infected syringes and needles, the transmission of incurable diseases like AIDS and pandemic Covid-19.BMW mixing with other garbage or poor BMW management causes air, water and soil pollution.