The Chairman, PCBA, Prof. JL Dutta speaking on the occasion dwelt on the issues of proper segregation of BMW at source in colour-coded bins as per BioMedical Waste (Management & Handling) Rule 1998.

Dutta said that every hospital and nursing home along with each pathological laboratory must have at least one electric needle destroyer in each nursing station (ward) for destroying the needle immediately after its use.

“The disposable syringes are to be disinfected and then crushed (mutilatecp in a syringe crusher. This is to be done to ensure that people are not affected with HIV AIDS and Hepatitis B infections. The needle and syringes obtained from blood bank after blood transfusion are also to be disposed in a similar way. Care has to be taken so that blood, which is transfused, is free from infection like HIV, AIDS, and Hepatitis B etc. The whole exercise will make significant contribution towards elimination of spread of HIV AIDS, Hepatitis Band Cancer, Dutta said.

The Chairman further mentioned that practically hospitals and the nursing homes generate only 10-15 per cent infectious wastes but due to lack of proper separation at source, these infectious wastes contaminate the non-infectious wastes and thereby makes the whole waste infectious.

He also stressed the need of destroying the needles and syringes at source after single use to stop its reuse.

The chairman also highlighted that anatomical waste obtained in the operation theatre, blood. body fluid, cotton swab, bandages etc. are to be incinerated in a two chamber incinerator with good Air Pollution Control device and chimney height should be 30 meters, with regular monitoring.

“The temperatures are to be maintained at the primary chamber and at also at the secondary chamber The ash produced by these activities should be disposed in a HDPE lined concrete pit,” he pointed out.

The liquid Biomedical wastes requires to be treated properly in an effluent treatment plant (ETP) and after proper treatment only it can be discharged.

In the training camp officials of Pollution Control Board, Assam demonstrated how to destroy the single used syringes and needles by Syringe Crusher and Electric Needle Destroyer respectively. About 150 doctors and nurses from various hospitals including Guwahati Medical College Hospital, Regional Dental College, Regional College of Nursing, Dispur Polyclinic, International Hospital, Chatribari Nursing Home, Down Town Hospital and NemCare Hospital among others took part in the camp.

Besides, doctors and nurses from different hospitals and Nursing Homes of greater Guwahati also took part in the camp. Till date, the PCBA has organised 75 such training programmes throughout the State.