Violation of Biomedical waste norms: 915 private healthcare centres face closure notices in Bihar

Patna: In a move to protect the environment, the Bihar State Pollution Control Board (BSPCB) has decided to issue closure notices to 915 private healthcare facilities across the state for non-compliance with the biomedical waste disposal norms.

The Pollution Control Board has also decided to issue warnings to 4737 private healthcare facilities in the state, which allegedly failed to comply with the norms for bio-medical waste disposal. 

Such waste materials can have adverse effects on the health of a person or the environment if not disposed of properly, BSPCB Chairman Devendra Kumar Shukla said.

If these healthcare facilities fail to adhere to the norms pertaining to scientific storage, transportation and treatment of medical waste, within 15 days, they will be closed down, he said. 

Samastipur district (418) tops the list of such healthcare centres, followed by West Champaran (389), Vaishali (373), Saran (260), Siwan (253), Gaya (157) and Patna (115).

"Bio-medical waste means any waste, which is generated during the diagnosis, treatment or immunisation of human beings or animals or research activities pertaining thereto or in the production or testing of biological or in health camps," said the Chairman.

Of these 4737 private healthcare facilities, 915 centres are being issued closure notices.

"These 915 centres fail to adhere to the norms pertaining to the treatment of medical waste at Common Bio-medical Waste Treatment Facilities (CBWTF) in the state. Despite repeated reminders, these centres did not follow the norms", Shukla said.

A CBWTF is a set-up where biomedical waste from health care facilities is imparted necessary treatment to reduce adverse effects that it may pose on human health and the environment, the scientist explained.

District Magistrates concerned are also being informed by the BSPCB about the closure notices, he said.

These centres are located in Bhojpur, Buxar, Kaimur, Nalanda, Patna, Rohtas, Vaishali, Saran, West Chmaparan etc.

"The board keeps instructing hospitals, nursing homes and other medical establishments across the state to get their biomedical waste treated at authorised CBWTFs in Patna, Muzaffarpur, Bhagalpur and Gaya", the BSPCB added.