TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: The Goa State Pollution Control Board has filed a scathing report on the state of bio-medical waste treatment and handling at the Goa Medical College and Hospital, for openly burning human anatomical waste, failing to segregate the waste and dumping treated waste in the open.
The board has warned the GMC that if they do not get their act together within seven days, they will face legal action.
An inspection conducted by scientists of the board found that even though both the incinerator and the ‘Ecodas’ hydroclave were functional, the treated remains from the hydroclave were burnt within the premises.
“During the inspection it was observed that the biomedical waste, after treatment in the ‘ecodas system’ was openly burnt within the GMC premises. Bio-medical waste treatment plant was commissioned on January 17, 2013 and till date no provision is made to store or dispose the treated biomedical waste,” the report reads.
“At the time of inspection it was observed that category 6 i.e. soiled wastes including human anatomical waste was burnt openly without any treatment, in front of biomedical waste disposal plant,” the report further reads.
The GMC sends the 100-odd kgs of human anatomical waste it generates in a day for incineration, as also the discarded medicines and cytotoxic drugs which add up to around 25 kgs a day.
Miscellaneous waste of 150 kgs including microbiology and biotechnology waste, waste sharps, soiled waste and solid waste which GMC generates in a day is sent to the hydroclave. However the final product from the hydroclave is being burnt at the premises, the GSPCB report states.
The GSPCB has now directed the GMC to immediately stop burning biomedical waste, segregate the waste before treating it in the hydroclave, destroy needles before treating and take immediate steps to ensure that valid bio-medical waste authorization is obtained.
Records available with the Goa State Pollution Control Board indicate that the GMC has not obtained valid bio-medical waste authorization, as required under the biomedical waste rules.
The GSPCB has now directed the GMC to submit a detailed action taken report within seven days. “Failure to satisfactorily comply with the directions within the stipulated time period, will compel the board to initiate stringent legal action against you as stipulated under the provisions of the Environment Protection Act, without any further notice,” the direction to the highest medical institution of the state, read.
