CSIR-NIIST unveils innovative technology for safe biomedical waste management

Thiruvananthapuram: CSIR-National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology (CSIR-NIIST) has pioneered a groundbreaking technology for the safe, sustainable, and cost-effective management of biomedical waste, marking a significant milestone as the first of its kind in the country.

This innovative technology was unveiled at the Biomedical Waste Management Conclave, a one-day event hosted at the CSIR-NIIST campus in the city on March 26. 

According to UNI, Dr M Srinivas, Director, AIIMS New Delhi, inaugurated the meet, which was presided over by Dr N Kalaiselvi, Secretary, DSIR and Director General, CSIR, through videoconferencing.

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Dr Srinivas emphasized the importance of innovative technologies in the biomedical field and reiterated AIIMS' commitment to collaboration with academic and research institutions, particularly CSIR. He commended CSIR-NIIST Director Dr. C. Anandharamakrishnan and his team for their groundbreaking alternative for the disposal of pathogenic biomedical waste.

Dr Kalaiselvi said the biomedical waste treatment technology of CSIR-NIIST will help effectively address one of the biggest challenges of modern times. “This technology will have a great impact on the global biomedical arena by addressing the limitations of conventional technologies, including energy intense incineration,” she observed.

Dr Anandharamakrishnan said using the technology one kilo medical waste can be converted into soil additives in three minutes and it can be used for agriculture purposes. This technology, which is safe and cost effective, will help hospitals dispose of medical waste at its origin very easily, the UNI news agency reported.

However, the implementation of the technology in hospitals across the country requires the concurrence of the Central Pollution Control Board.

“CSIR-NIIST is actively working on various waste management strategies, including biomedical waste. The technology that we developed for converting pathogenic biomedical waste into value added soil additives is a perfect example for the ‘Waste to Wealth’ concept,” he added.

The event saw the participation of notable figures such as Dr Sanjay Behari, Director of Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology; Er. Sreekala S., Chairperson of Kerala State Pollution Control Board; Dr Joseph Benavan, State President of the Indian Medical Association; Dr Pragya Yadav, Director-in-Charge of ICMR-NIOH and Head of the BSL 4 Facility at the National Institute for Virology, Pune; M. S. Faisal Khan, MD of NIMS Medicity, Thiruvananthapuram; and Er. J. Chandrababu, Regional Director of the Central Pollution Control Board, Bengaluru.

Following the development of this groundbreaking technology, CSIR-NIIST has transferred it to Bio Vastum Solutions, a firm based in Angamaly.

The conclave also facilitated discussions on various aspects of scientific biomedical waste management, underscoring the need for innovative technologies to replace conventional methods. Over 250 delegates, including policymakers, major medical institutions, technocrats, NGOs, industries, and academia, attended the event.

NIIST is a constituent laboratory of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research and the National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science (CSIR).