Biomedical Waste: Types, Current Status, Management and Impact on Aquatic Body – A Comprehensive Review

Biomedical waste (BMW) includes all type of byproducts produced throughout the treatment process of humans and animals or during biologics study that may contain infectious or possibly contagious materials. According to WHO, 85% of BMW is considered non-hazardous. Approximately 15% of BMW comprises materials that could be infectious, including but not limited to, viruses like HIV, hepatitis B, and C, antibiotics, solvents whether they are halogenated or non-halogenated, and heavy metals, among others. An enormous number of medical facilities in India produce biomedical waste, including blood, bodily fluids, tissues, organs, dirty cotton, linen, bandages, plaster antibiotics, radioactive materials, and corrosive chemicals. An uncontrollably high volume of biomedical waste has resulted from the COVID-19 pandemic. Before the pandemic, each bed in a hospital produced 500-750 gm of BMW daily, increasing to 2.5 to 4.5 kg as per the study of Capoor and Parida, (2021). The Government of India, under the MoEFCC, issued the first BMW regulations in July 1998 in the exercise of the powers conferred by sections 6, 8 and 25 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 and further amended as Biomedical waste management rules, 2016. This article addresses the issues related to biomedical waste, its types and its impact on the environment and appropriate management strategies to adopt.