Working Paper: 312

Biomedical Waste Management: Issues and Concerns -
A Ward-Level Study of Bangalore City

S Manasi
K S Umamani
N Latha

 

Abstract

Bio-medical waste although constitutes a small portion of total municipal waste generated, needs special handling, treatment and disposal as it is highly toxic and infectious. This paper aims at identifying issues related to bio-medical waste in a BBMP. Ward No: 128 of Bangalore city, Southern India. In recent years, Bangalore city has emerged as an important centre for medical tourism due to the concentration of professional expertise, sophisticated medical/technological services and health care institutions. Twenty-seven medical institutions in the ward were surveyed and the role of formal recyclers of medical waste was also looked into. Also, issues like lack of comprehensive data, practice of dumping of medical waste with municipal garbage, poor awareness among the hospital staff, etc. in the ward were identified for analysis.

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