Mumbai: Classification of biomedical waste in four color bags

Mumbai: Biomedical waste has been categorized into four groups as per hospital solid waste management rules. The segregation of these wastes at the point of origin of the waste is binding on all places within the purview of the law (hospitals, dispensaries, 8 veterinary dispensaries or other establishments). Such sorted waste goes to the shared biomedical processing and disposal center under the jurisdiction of local self-governing bodies and under the supervision of the State Pollution Control Board.

It is mandatory to use four different types of chlorine-free plastic bags / bins of different colors for sorting at each waste disposal site. There are clear instructions on which type of biomedical waste to store in which color bag.

the structure of each waste bag:

Yellow bag

Surgery to remove a cancerous tumor from the body or a damaged organ / part, the placenta coming out of the mother's body during childbirth, etc. It is mandatory to collect all the infectious and highly hazardous waste such as parts, blood stained cotton balls, as well as expired medicines etc. in this bag. During the process, the yellow bag is incinerated in a large furnace at extremely high temperatures.

Red bag

It is mandatory to collect injection syringes, saline bottles and tubes, as well as other plastic equipment in this bag. During the processing of this waste, all these plastics are put in a pressure cooker called autoclave and 100 percent disinfected. These plastics are then shredded and these pieces are then sent for recycling.

White bag

A variety of sharp tools, such as discarded needles and blades, have to be stored in the bag. These devices are also completely disinfected and further disposed of by recycling or other means.

Blue bag

All types of glass bottle waste are stored, sterilized and sent for recycling.

Garbage is stored in the department every day in the hospital according to the color distribution. The on-duty cleaners weigh and seal the bags, which are then assembled at the garbage dump. The hospital collects 150 to 200 kg of waste per day. It is the responsibility of the head nurse of the department to monitor this. The responsibility of disposal of this waste has been given to a private contractor through the Municipal Corporation and this waste is disposed of on a daily basis. - Nitin Navale, J. J. Hygiene department of the hospital Web Title: Classification of