CHENNAI: As the number of Covid-19 cases rises across the state rises, the bio-medical waste generated during the treatment or isolation of such people is increasing even as the general bio-medical waste drops due to the closure of other wards and facilities.
On an average, the treatment of every person testing positive for the virus or suspected of carrying it generates, in Chennai and districtlevel government hospitals, about half-a-kg of waste including syringes, vials or cotton swabs, Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) and even plates used in special wards. Additional bins have been procured to dispose them. Official data shows that the eight Common Biomedical Waste Treatment and Disposal Facilities (CBWTF) in TN, including two in Chennai, which handled 8 tonnes to 9 tonnes of general bio-medical waste everyday now handle just 4 tonnes-4.5 tonnes a day since the lockdown kicked in on March 24.
“They followed Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) guidelines strictly as waste collected from hospitals through dedicated vans was processed without delay,” said a Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board official.
The same applied to government hospitals handling Covid-19 patients. At Kilpauk Medical College and Hospital in Chennai, 60kg of waste is collected in 60 double-layered bags daily, said Vasantha Mani, dean. On Monday, 100 doctors, nurses and other paramedical staff tested 124 patients.
A yellow bag (as per CPCB guidelines) is placed near each patient’s bed to dispose bed/pillow covers and PPEs, she added. Since not much waste for red and white transparent bags is generated, hospitals want more yellow ones.
At the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital, 300 new and big yellow bins (each 200 litres capacity) are placed in wards and donningdoffing areas for doctors and other staff. Bio-medical waste is packed in cotton and double bagged before sealing and handing it over to the outsourcing agency which collects it in dedicated vans, said a senior doctor.
Similar trends and procedures were noticed in other districts.
(With inputs from Pratiksha Ramkumar and Sambath Kumar)
On an average, the treatment of every person testing positive for the virus or suspected of carrying it generates, in Chennai and districtlevel government hospitals, about half-a-kg of waste including syringes, vials or cotton swabs, Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) and even plates used in special wards. Additional bins have been procured to dispose them. Official data shows that the eight Common Biomedical Waste Treatment and Disposal Facilities (CBWTF) in TN, including two in Chennai, which handled 8 tonnes to 9 tonnes of general bio-medical waste everyday now handle just 4 tonnes-4.5 tonnes a day since the lockdown kicked in on March 24.
“They followed Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) guidelines strictly as waste collected from hospitals through dedicated vans was processed without delay,” said a Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board official.
The same applied to government hospitals handling Covid-19 patients. At Kilpauk Medical College and Hospital in Chennai, 60kg of waste is collected in 60 double-layered bags daily, said Vasantha Mani, dean. On Monday, 100 doctors, nurses and other paramedical staff tested 124 patients.
A yellow bag (as per CPCB guidelines) is placed near each patient’s bed to dispose bed/pillow covers and PPEs, she added. Since not much waste for red and white transparent bags is generated, hospitals want more yellow ones.
At the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital, 300 new and big yellow bins (each 200 litres capacity) are placed in wards and donningdoffing areas for doctors and other staff. Bio-medical waste is packed in cotton and double bagged before sealing and handing it over to the outsourcing agency which collects it in dedicated vans, said a senior doctor.
Similar trends and procedures were noticed in other districts.
(With inputs from Pratiksha Ramkumar and Sambath Kumar)
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