Volume : 2, Issue : 4, April - 2013

Biomedical Waste Management in the District of Mandya, Karnataka

H. A. Praveen Tissera, Rajesh Gopinath, Yatish

Abstract :

The present study reviews the ‘Biomedical waste’ management practice currently prevailing in the district of Mandya (Karnataka). For the present survey, 1 government hospital, 35 nursing homes, 6 registered clinics and 3 diagnostic centers were studied for and documented, according to a pre–tested observation checklist with based on interaction with the health care personnel. The study confirmed that the waste management practices were inadequate and rudimentary. While the disposal of solid biomedical waste in hospital was carried by landfilling, the liquid biomedical waste generated was discharged directly to public sewers. The study also probed the level of awareness on waste management among the biomedical waste producers, and found it to be very inferior. Finally based on the findings, the current study postulates guidelines for sustainable biomedical waste management towards its proper handling, packaging, transportation, treatment and disposal. The study recommends focus on periodic monitoring, producer commitment, infrastructure availability, process planning, education and training, and a higher community awareness level, to make the biomedical waste management successful in Mandya.