Maharashtra, Gujarat generate most Covid biowaste

AHEMDABAD/NEW DELHI: India generated 18,006 tonnes of Covid-19 biomedical waste in the last four months, with Maharashtra contributing the maximum (3,587 tonnes) to it, according to a Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data.
India generated 3,025 tonnes of Covid-19 waste in June, with Maharashtra alone accounting for 524 tonnes, followed by Gujarat (350 tonnes), Delhi (333 tonnes) and Tamil Nadu (312 tonnes) . Around 5,500 tonnes of Covid-19 waste was generated across the country in September - the maximum for a month so far.
Gujarat today has the highest capacity of incinerating biomedical waste in the country . It has 20 operational biomedical waste disposal facilities in various parts and even industrial incenration plants have agreed to participate in biomedical waste destruction if needed. Today the state can cumulatively destroy roughly 58,000 kgs of biowaste everyday. Of this Ahmedabad city accounted for generating 65% of Covid biowaste in the state.
According to the data received from state pollution control boards, since June, all states and Union Territories have generated 18,006 tonnes of Covid-19-related biomedical waste which is being collected, treated and disposed of by 198 common biomedical waste treatment facilities (CBWTFs).
Covid-19 biomedical waste could include PPE kits, masks, shoe covers, gloves, human tissues, items contaminated with blood, body fluids like dressings, plaster casts, cotton swabs, beddings contaminated with blood or body fluid, blood bags, needles, syringes etc.
According to the data, Maharashtra generated 3,587 tonnes of COVID-19 waste in four months since June, followed by Tamil Nadu (1,737 tonnes), Gujarat (1,638 tonnes), Kerala (1,516 tonnes), Uttar Pradesh (1,432 tonnes), Delhi (1,400 tonnes), Karnataka (1,380 tonnes) and West Bengal (1,000 tonnes).
Around 5,490 tonnes of such waste was generated in September, with Gujarat contributing the maximum 622 tonnes, followed by Tamil Nadu (543 tonnes), Maharashtra (524 tnnes), Uttar Pradesh (507 tonnes) and Kerala (494 tonnes).