Module 4

Solid waste
• The term solid waste includes all those
solid and semi-solid materials that are
discarded by a community.
• The solid waste generated through
domestic and commercial activities is
called as municipal solid waste (MSW).
• The waste generated by industries is
known as industrial waste.
 Solid waste
• Solid waste generates from human and
animal activities and solid waste comprise
both commercial and domestic wastes.
• The solid wastes are commonly referred
as refuse.
• Solid waste consists of garbage (kitchen
waste), packaging materials such as
plastic, paper, metals etc.
• Construction waste (rubbish), abandoned
vehicles, industrial process waste,
pathological wastes (medical waste) etc.
 Solid waste
• Rapid industrialization, population growth and
urbanization have lead to generation of enormous
quantity of solid waste. Improper management of solid
waste contributes for land pollution.
• Generally the wastes are disposed in open dumps, which
create considerable nuisance and environmental
problems.
• The health risks involved are breeding of flies and rat.
• Flies transmit diseases such as cholera, dysentery and
rats infect by direct bites, spreading disease like plague
and destroy property.
• The more serious one is the contamination of ground
and surface water by leachates formed from solid waste
dumps.
 Solid waste
• Putrescible organic wastes causes odour
nuisance.
• Air pollution can be caused by gases released
by the anaerobic degradation of waste and
improper burning of wastes, either in open or in
incinerators.
• The industrial hazardous waste causes fire
hazards, explosions, corrosion, and
bioaccumulation in the food chain and can cause
cancer or injury to human and animal life.
• The proper management of solid waste is very
important to avoid the severe environmental
problems.
Classification of solid wastes
• (i) Garbage: It is highly putrrescible organic
waste such as vegetable, fruit or meat and food
residues generated from kitchens, restaurants,
hotels etc.
• (ii) Rubbish: These wastes do not decompose
rapidly such as paper, textiles, leather,
cardboard, plastics, rubber, metals, glass etc.
• (iii) Ashes: These are the remaining of
materials from the burning of coal, coke, wood
and other combustible materials such as
cinders, clinkers and so on.
Classification of solid wastes
• (iv) Agricultural wastes: These include crop
residues from agricultural field, farm manure etc
such as cotton, jute, sugarcane wastes, rice
straw etc.
• (v) Construction and demolition wastes:
These are wastes from construction and
demolition activities that includes stones, bricks,
dust, concrete, wood, plumbing and sanitary
parts etc.
• (vi) Industrial wastes: These are wastes
generated from industrial activities that includes
fly ash, chemicals, paints, package wastes,
glass, toxic metals etc
Classification of solid wastes
• (vii) Biomedical wastes: These are wastes
generated from nursing homes, hospitals,
veterinary institution etc.
• (viii) Hazardous wastes: These are the wastes
that are chemically or biologically toxic,
flammable, reactive, explosive or corrosive.
These wastes cause adverse effects on human,
plant or animals.
• (ix) Miscellaneous waste: Wastes that are not
included in the above categories, such as dead
animals, street sweepings, road side litter, tyres,
electronic wastes, abandoned vehicles, sewage
treatment plant sludge etc.
 Necessity for safe disposal of
solid waste
• The disposal of solid waste is a problem. This
problem continues to grow with the growth of
population and development of industries.
• Disposal of waste in open pits has become
routine in majority of places.
• Semisolid or solid matter that are created by
human or animal activities and which are
disposed because they are hazardous or
useless are known as solid waste.
 Necessity for safe disposal of
solid waste
• Most of the solid wastes like paper, plastic
containers, bottles, cans, used cars and
electronics are not biodegradable, which means
they do not get broken through organic process.
• Thus when they accumulate they pose a health
threat to people and decaying waste also attract
household pests and results in urban areas
becoming unhealthy, dirty and unsightly places
to reside.
• It also causes damage to terrestrial organisms,
while also reducing the uses of land for other
useful purposes.
 Necessity for safe disposal of
solid waste
• . In addition to causing possible outbreaks of diseases,
the improper management of solid wastes causes
adverse effects on ecology.
• Dumping of solid waste at a particular waste dumping
site may lead to the formation of leachate during rain
which may seep down and contaminate ground water.
• This happens when the dumped refuse contains non-
biodegradable and carcinogenic substances such as
plastics, unused medicines, paints, insecticides, etc
which may start troubling on coming in contact with rain
water seeping through the dumped garbage producing a
colored liquid called leachate.
 Necessity for safe disposal of
solid waste
• This highly poisonous leachate containing
organic compounds like chlorinated
hydrocarbons such as benzene, toluene,
xylene etc and toxic elements such as
arsenic, copper, uranium etc are likely to
seep to the ground water-table to pollute
the ground water leading to various
diseases.
 Necessity for safe disposal of
solid waste
• Although the natural processes possess enough
capacity to dilute, disperse, degrade, absorb or
otherwise dispose of unwanted materials, but
that capacity has now come under tremendous
stress due to the enormous quantities of waste
being generated by the modern society.
• Hence there is necessary for safe disposal of
solid waste to control all kinds of pollution.
 Composition and quantity of
solid wastes
• The municipal solid waste is a heterogeneous
mixture of various kinds of solid wastes which
are not transported with water as sewage and
may include biodegradable food wastes called
garbage and non-biodegradable solid wastes
like paper, glass, metal items etc called rubbish.
• The density of garbage usually varies between
450 to 900 kg/m3 .
• The density of rubbish usually varies between 50
to 400 kg/m3 .
 Composition and quantity of
solid wastes
• In addition, ashes from household hearths
may also get included in municipal solid
wastes, although its quantity is getting
reduced in modern urban homes, due to
increasing use of cooking gas, kerosene
oil stoves and lesser use of firewood.
• The density of ashes generally varies
between 700 to 850 kg/m3 .
 Composition and quantity of
solid wastes
• The quantity of municipal solid waste produced
by a society depends upon the living standards
of its residents.
• The degree of commercialization, urbanization
and industrialization has resulted in a vast
increase in the amount of refuse generated per
person.
• For example, the average per capita daily
refuse production in United States is as high as
about 2.8 kg, whereas, the average per capita
daily refuse production in India is only about 0.5
kg.
 Composition and quantity of
solid wastes
• The average composition of refuse ( by
weight) is estimated to be as

Particulars Percentage

Garbage 45
Rubbish 15
Ashes 15
Fine dust, silt and sand 25
 Solid waste management
• Indiscriminate disposal of solid waste causes
adverse effects on environment. The main
objective of solid waste management is to
minimize or eliminate the adverse effects before
it becomes too difficult to identify in the future.
• Solid waste management involves the following
activities:
• Collection of solid wastes
• Transportation of solid wastes
• Disposal of solid wastes
• Waste utilization.
 Collection of solid wastes
• There are four basic methods of collection are
• (i) Door to door collection: In this method collection
person enter the backyard and collect the solid waste in to
large container or to push cart. The collection methods
are labour intensive and cheaper compared to
mechanized collection.
• (ii) Community storage system: In this method the
individuals deposit their waste in metal or concrete bins
located at street corners. The waste is stored till the waste
collection agency comes and collects it in to vehicles. The
frequency of collection will be daily, alternative days, twice
a week or once in a week. Community storage may
reduce the cost of waste collection and can minimize the
problem associated with the on site storage.
 Collection of solid wastes
• (iii) Kerb side collection: In this method
the waste is brought in containers by the
individuals and placed on the footpath
prior to the collection time from where it is
collected by the waste collection agency.
• (iv)Block collection: Individual brings the
waste in containers and the collection staff
empties it into the waiting collection
vehicles.
 Transportation of solid wastes
• The transporting trucks should be of high quality, of
special design and be properly maintained.
• They should be strong, durable and water tight and
made up of stainless steel with smooth interior, having
rounded corners for facility of cleaning.
• They should have a loading line, say upto 1.5 m, so that
minimum of time and effort is required in filling them.
• They should have a cover, which should be as a part of
the body with hatches, which can be opened during
collection.
• Mechanical devices should be installed in these
vehicles, for lifting the body to the sides or back, or for
pushing the refuse out, so that they can be quickly and
easily emptied
 Disposal of solid waste
• In majority of the cities the solid waste is being
disposed off by dumping in low-lying areas.
• The disposal sites are selected on the basis of
closeness to collection areas and availability of
land. In open dumping the waste is
uncompacted, leachate and gas control systems
are not provided.
• Soil cover is rarely provided and open burning
to reduce volume and easy rag picking is quite
common.
• The disposal sites are unfenced.
• This leads to the air pollution, ground water
pollution, aesthetic problems and fly breeding.
 Sanitary land filling

• To over come these problems an engineered method of solid waste

disposal method called sanitary landfill is adopted in developed
countries.
• This is the method of disposing of solid waste on land in a manner
that minimizes environmental hazards by spreading the solid waste,
compacting and applying cover material daily at the end of each
day.
 Sanitary land filling

• The final layer is about one meter thick top layer to prevent
rodents from burrowing into the waste and scattering.
• Sanitary landfill is a biological method of waste treatment.
• The bacteria present in the waste decomposes the
degradable organics and produces the gas containing CH4,
CO2, NH3 and H2S that can be used as renewable source
of energy.
 Sanitary land filling
• Advantages:
• 1. This method is most simple and economical. No costly
plant or equipment is required in this method.
• 2. Separation of different kinds of refuse, as required in
incineration method is not required in this method.
• 3. There are no residues or byproducts left out/evolved
in this method and hence no further disposal is required;
this being a complete method in itself.
• 4. Low lying water-logged areas and odd quarry pits can
be easily reclaimed and put to better use. The mosquito-
breeding places are also, thus, eliminated
 Sanitary land filling
• Disadvantages:
• 1. Low lying depressions or dumping sites may
not always be available; or even if they are
available today, they may ultimately become
scarce or unavailable in future, since the
production of solid waste is a continuous process.
• 2. There is a continuous evolution of foul gases
near the fill site, especially during the times the
refuse is being dumped there. These gases may
often be explosive in nature and are produced by
the decomposing or evaporating organic matter.
These gases known as land fill gases, become a
serious environmental problem at sanitary land fill
sites and may, hence, need be collected installing
gas recovery wells.
 Sanitary land filling
• Disadvantages:
• 3. Use of environmentally harmful insecticides
may be required to prevent fly nuisance.
• 4. Since the dumped garbage may contain
harmful and some times carcinogenic non-
biodegradable substances, such as plastics,
unused medicines, paints, insecticides, etc., they
may start troubling on a later date, particularly
during rainy season, when excess water seeping
through the area, may come out of the dump, as
a coloured liquid, called leachate.
 Shredding and pulverization
• The size and volume reduction of municipal solid
waste (MSW) is accomplished by the physical
processes of shredding and pulverization.
• Shredding refers to the actions of cutting and
tearing, whereas, pulverization refers to the actions
of crushing and grinding.
• Shredding and pulverization may help in reducing
the overall volume of the original MSW by as much
as 40 %.
• The shredding and pulverizing not only helps in
reducing the volume of MSW,but also helps in
changing the physical character of the waste, which
becomes practically odourless and unattractive to
the insects.
Shredder machine
 Shredding and pulverization
• The pulverization is usually achieved in a
hammer mill, where the raw solid waste is
camped with a force sufficient to crush or tear
individual components of the waste.
• Impact is provided by several hammers that
rotate at high speeds (up to 1500
revolution/minute) around a central or vertical
shaft.
• The mill helps to produce a uniform or
homogeneous mass of solid waste.
 Shredding and pulverization
• Such a hammer mill proves to be very versatile
device for size reduction of solid wastes,
because it accepts almost any type of solid
waste material (except very bulky or dense ones
such as tree stumps, engine blocks etc).
• A hammer mill thus makes it possible to reduce
the size of the various components of solid
waste material to uniform fragments of size 25 to
50 mm or so.
Pulverizing machine
Pulverizing machine
 Composting
• Composting of refuse is a biological
method of decomposing solid wastes.
• This decomposition can be affected either
under aerobic conditions or under
anaerobic conditions or both.
• The final end product is manure, called the
compost or humus.
 Composting
• Basically, composting is considered to be an
aerobic process, because it involves piling up of
refuse and its regular turning, either manually or
by mechanical devices, so as to ensure
sufficient supply of air and oxygen during its
decomposition by bacteria, fungi and other
micro-organisms.
• Initially the process starts with the mesophilic
bacteria, which oxidize the organic matter (in the
refuse) to carbon dioxide and liberate heat.
 Composting
• The temperature rises to about 45 0 C and at this
point, the thermophilic bacteria take over and
continue the decomposition.
• During this phase, the temperature further rises
to about 600 C, which has to be maintained for at
least 3 days in order to destroy pathogenic
bacteria.
• This temperature control is crucial because
optimal decomposition occurs between 55 and
600 C, but if the temperature exceeds 60 0 C,
decomposition slows down.
 Composting
• In about 4 to 5 weeks, the easily biodegradable
fraction gets consumed and the temperature of
the compost mass starts falling.
• Complete stabilization occurs after the compost
is allowed to cure for another 2 to 8 weeks.
• During the active early decomposition phase,
the thermophilic bacteria act as the principal
decomposers, while fungi are more active during
the curing stage.
 Composting
• The entire composting thus gets
completed in about 3-4 months time.
• Volume reductions of the original organic
material of up to 50 % are achieved under
ideal conditions.
• The finally produced compost usually, has
earthy smell and a dark brown colour.
 Composting
• Moisture content of the compost mass should,
however, be controlled to ensure optimum
aerobic decomposition, because excessive
moisture will make it difficult to maintain aerobic
conditions, while deficient moisture inhibits
biological life.
• A moisture content of about 55 % should be
established, so that aerobic biological activity
may proceed at an optimum rate.
• It may therefore, become necessary to add
water to the compost mass during its turning, for
maintaining satisfactory moisture content.
 Composting
• The Municipal Solid Wastes (Management
and Handling) Rules, 2000 has laid down
the following specifications for compost
quality, to ensure its safe application.
 Composition/Quality standards
for compost
Sl.No Parameter Concentration not to
exceed
in mg/kg of dry
compost,
except for pH and
C/N ratio.

1 Arsenic 10.00
2 Cadmium 5.00
3 Chromium 50.00
4 Copper 300.00
5 Lead 100.00
 Composition/Quality standards
for compost
Sl.No Parameter Concentration not to
exceed
in mg/kg of dry
compost,
except for pH and
C/N ratio.

6 Mercury 0.15
7 Nickel 50.00
8 Zinc 1000.00
9 C/N ratio 20-40
10 pH value 5.5-8.5
 Composting
• In India, the composting is practiced in
rural areas on the mixture of night soil and
refuse. Two methods which are generally
adopted are
• 1. Indore method of composting
• 2. Bangalore method of composting
 Indore method of composting
• In Indore method of composting , refuse, night
soil and animal dung are placed in small brick
lined pits, 3 m x 3 m x 1 m deep, in alternate
layers of 7.5 to 10 cm height, so as to make a
total height of 1.5 m.
• Chemicals such as DDT is added to prevent fly
breeding.
• The material is turned regularly for a period of
about 8 to 12 weeks and then stored on the
ground for 4-6 weeks.
• In about 6-8 turnings and in about 4 months
time, the compost becomes ready for use as
manure.
 Bangalore method of composting
• In Bangalore method of composting, the
refuse is stabilized anaerobically.
• Earthen trenches of size 10 x 1.5 x 1.5 m
deep are filled up in alternate layers of
refuse and night soil/cow dung.
• The material is covered with 15 cm layer
of good earth and left for decomposition.
• In about 4-5 months, the compost
becomes ready for use.
 Vermi-composting
• Vermi-composting uses the natural composting
process of decomposition of biodegradable
organic matter by the soil bacteria by taking the
assistance of cultured earth worms.
• These earth worms help in quicker
decomposition of the organic matter.
• The method helps in adopting the composting
technique in individual bungalows and
institutions to dispose of the yard and garden
wastes particularly the leaves and grass
clippings.
 Vermi-composting
• The various steps involved in applying vermin-
composting technique are:
• 1. Dig a small pit of about 0.5 m square and I m deep.
• 2. Line the pit with straw or dried leaves and grass.
• 3. Organize the disposal of organic domestic waste into
the pit as and when generated.
• 4. Introduce a culture of worms that is not produced
commercially.
• 5. Cover the pit contents daily by sprinkling of dried
leaves and soil every day.
• 6. Water the pit once or twice a week to keep it moist.
• 7. Turn over the contents of the pit every 15 days.
• 8. In about 45 days, the waste will be decomposed by
the action of the micro-organisms.
• 9. The produced humus (soil) in the pit is fertile and rich
in soil nutrients. It can, hence, be used in the garden.
 E-waste

• Electronic waste may be defined as

discarded computers, office
electronic/electrical equipment,
entertainment device electronics, mobile
phones, television sets, and refrigerators.
• This definition includes used electronics
which are destined for reuse, resale,
salvage, recycling, or disposal.
 E-waste

• Others define the re-usables (working and

repairable electronics) and secondary scrap
(copper, steel, plastic, etc.) to be "commodities",
and reserve the term "waste" for residue or
material which is dumped by the buyer rather
than recycled, including residue from reuse and
recycling operations.
• Because loads of surplus electronics are
frequently commingled (good, recyclable, and
non-recyclable), several public policy advocates
apply the term "e-waste" broadly to all surplus
electronics.
 The problem of E- waste

• Electronic waste isn’t just waste — it contains

some very toxic substances, such as mercury,
lead, cadmium, arsenic, beryllium and
brominated flame retardants.
• When the latter are burned at low temperatures,
they create additional toxins, such as
halogenated dioxins and furans – some of the
most toxic substances known to humankind.
• The toxic materials in electronics can cause
cancer, reproductive disorders, endocrine
disruption, and many other health problems if
this waste stream is not properly managed.
 The problem of E- waste

• Many of the toxic constituents are elements,

which means they never disappear, even though
they may change form.
• Other toxic chemicals in electronics do not break
down over time, instead accumulating in the
food chain and biosphere.
• Not only do these toxins present risks to
communities and the global ecosystem, but also
to electronics recycling workers around the
world.
 Solution for E- waste
• Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment
(WEEE) is increasing every day.
• The volume of WEEE is becoming a
serious environmental problem that has
yet to become recognised by the greater
public.
• Nearly 250 million computers will become
obsolete in the next five years, according
to the EPA.
 Solution for E- waste
• Discarded electronics (e-waste) can contain
toxic lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent
chromium, and fire retardant. Of particular
concern are the cathode ray tubes (CRTs) in
computer monitors, which contain high
concentrations of lead.
• Though the EPA considers each of these
materials dangerous, household electronics
aren’t classified as hazardous waste and aren’t
subject to federal regulation.
• Therefore, in most states it’s up to individuals to
decide the fate of discarded equipment.
 Solution for E- waste

• The manufacturers of electronic goods, who

have benefited from sales of their products,
should take responsibility for them from
production through to the end of their lives.
• To prevent an e-waste crisis, manufacturers
must design clean electronics with longer
lifespan, that are safe and easy to recycle and
will not expose workers and the environment to
hazardous chemicals.
• Electronics manufacturers must stop using
hazardous materials.
• In many cases, safer alternatives currently exist.
 Solution for E- waste
• The taxpayer should not bear the cost of recycling old
electrical goods. Manufacturers should take full life cycle
responsibility for their products and, once they reach the
end of their useful life, take their goods back for re-use,
safe recycling or disposal.
The consumers should
• Support companies that make clean products.
• Before buying, think twice about whether you really need
a new device.
• Return your equipment to the manufacturer when you
have finished with it.
 Waste utilization

• This is the concept of Reuse, Recycle and Recovery (3

Rs).
The advantages of waste utilization are
• Waste utilization helps in conservation of natural
resources.
• Waste utilization helps in generating employment.
• Utilization of waste prevents the air and water pollution.
• Compost (manure) can be obtained by utilizing solid
waste.
• Solid waste is a renewable source of energy, electricity
can be generated.
• Utilizing the waste directly or indirectly contributes to
economical growth of the country or region.
 Waste utilization
Some of waste utilization are:
• Cattle dung can be used in gobar gas plant.
• Cattle dung is used as manure.
• Garbage in production of compost.
• Scrap glass in manufacturing new glass.
• Plastic is recycled to make new articles, greases, waxes
etc.
• Used tyre in manufacturing of rubber.
• Fly ash is used in cement manufacturing.
• Sugarcane solid waste (bio-gas) for electricity
production.
 Biomedical wastes and their impacts on health and environment

• The wastes (solid as well as liquid wastes)

produced by hospitals, nursing homes, clinics,
research laboratories, diagnostic centers,
veterinary hospitals, etc are called biomedical
wastes. They are potential source of hazards and
need to be specially treated and disposed off.
• The greatest risk of clinical waste is from the
infectious and sharp components like needles,
syringes etc. Health care workers and people
associated with the hospital waste disposal often
get needle prick injuries and can even get
AIDS/HIV or other types of infections like Hepatitis
B & C, through skin route. In addition to its
infectivity, the medical waste is highly toxic and
may possess variable radioactivity.
Collection and treatment of Biomedical wastes

• The various types of medical wastes are

divided into different categories and
collected in different coloured bins or
containers, as to help in segregation of
hazardous and non- hazardous wastes,
needing different types of treatments. The
process is known as waste segregation.
Collection and treatment of Biomedical wastes

• The correct classification for collection of

different waste items in different coloured dust
bins is to be done by the various hospitals and it
is the duty of the hospital doctors and nurses to
ensure correct disposal of different waste items
in their respective dust bins or containers.
• The system of using different coloured bins and
bags to collect different types of solid medical
wastes is known as colour coding.
Collection and treatment of Biomedical wastes

• Such a system eventually helps in separately

collecting the non-hazardous medical waste
items, such as the uncontaminated packaging
materials like plastics, paper, card board, food
and kitchen waste, garden waste etc.
• Such non-hazardous waste can then be easily
and economically be disposed off by landfill, but
only if it is free of biomedical waste that would
cause adverse effects on human health and
environment.
Collection and treatment of Biomedical wastes
• Proper segregation of wastes helps in the
following ways:
• 1. It minimizes the amount of potentially
hazardous wstes that requires the specialized
and costly treatment and disposal.
• 2. It facilitates proper packaging and labeling of
wastes.
• 3. It reduces occupational health and safety
risks to the health care workers and rag pickers.
• 4. It improves infection control within the
hospital.
• 5. It helps in establishing uniform waste
management practice and to comply with the
national laws and legislgitation.
Collection and treatment of Biomedical wastes
• According to the 1998 Indian rules notified for the
disposal of biomedical wastes, such wastes are to be
segregated in the bins or containers of the following
colours:
• 1. Yellow
• 2. Red
• 3. Blue/White
• 4. Black
• The most important aspects of management of
biomedical waste is that the hazardous bio-medical
waste should not be mixed with the non-hazardous
general waste. In order to achieve this, different types of
wastes in hospital should be collected in different
coloured bins and containers and disposed suitably.
Collection and treatment of Biomedical wastes
• 1. Yellow bin wastes: These wastes need to be
incinerated or buried deep and may include human
anatomical wastes, animal wastes, pathological wastes,
micro-biological wastes, sharp wastes, discarded
medicine, cytotoxic drugs and solid wastes.
• 2. Red bin wastes: These wastes will have to be
autoclaved, disinfected with chemicals or micro waved.
They may include plastic wastes and disposable items
like tubes, catheters, blood or urine bags, gloves etc.
• 3. Blue/white bin wastes: These wastes will have to be
autoclaved, disinfected with chemicals or micro waved
and mutilated or shredded and may include sharp
wastes..
• 4. Black bin wastes: These wastes can be sent for
disposal to secure land fills/burials and may include
chemical solid wastes and incinerated ash etc.
 Collection of sharp wastes
• In collection of various types of biomedical
wastes, special attention is required to be given
to the sharp wastes, as they constitute a unique
category of medical wastes and always pose a
risk factor of many infectious pathogens.
• Sharp may be defined as objects that are
capable of puncturing or cutting due to any
points or proturbences and may include
syringes, needles, blades, Pasteur pipettes and
broken glasses or plastics.
• As a matter of fact, 98 % of all health facilities
generate sharp wastes.
 Collection of sharp wastes

• During medical procedures, health care workers get a

large number of injuries due to sharps. Similarly, a
significant amount of injuries are caused by sharp
wastes to the solid waste workers, who handle their
collection.
• To render their safe handling, manufactures must
develop mechanisms to render the syringes ‘non-sharp’,
immediately after use. This will reduce the needle stick
injury, by preventing the punctures. Self-shearing
syringes, self-blunting blood collection needle are
gaining popularity.
 Collection of sharp wastes

• No loose sharp wastes should be

disposed of into plastic bags, as these
bags can get punctured or cut by the
sharps, which may cause injuries to the
waste handlers or the content of the bag
may spill during transportation. The sharp
wastes should, therefore, be placed in
puncture-resistant containers or should be
mutilated at the point of generation by
some needle destroyer.
Labeling for identification of bio-medical wastes

• Labeling is essential for the correct

identification and safe management of
medical wastes.
• Labeling makes the identification and
handling of different types of medical
wastes easier.
• It will also warn the workers, patients and
the public about the existence of the
wastes and their potential health hazards.
Labeling for identification of bio-medical wastes

• All labeling and sign posting should follow

the international symbols and colour
coding. All the infected, soiled,
pathological, human and sharp wastes
should be marked with biohazard symbol
in black colour, representing cytotoxic
wastes. The symbol of cytotoxic hazard,
i.e. C in a triangle ( ) is used for this
labeling.
Labeling for identification of bio-medical wastes
• Labeling of the wastes at the generation point
should be in the form of tag or adhesive label,
attached to the collection bag or container, prior to
it being collected by the cleaning staff.
• This waste tagging system will allow waste audits
conducted at the treatment/disposal site, to
identify those areas that are in compliance or non-
compliance with the required hospital waste
management practices.
• If needed, a corrective action can then be easily
initiated.
• It would be better, if the bags and bins provided
are already labeled with appropriate hazard
symbol.
 Storage of Bio-medical wastes
• According to the rules the infectious waste can not be
stored for more than 48 hours.
• However, hospital wastes may need to be stored, if
immediate treatment and disposal cannot be done.
• These wastes should be refrigerated on site to prevent
rotting and evolution of offensive smells.
• These wastes may then be carted and stored in off-site
storage facilities, built in R.C.C., in notified areas, away
from general public.
• These storage houses must be properly designed to
allow proper out flow of wash down water and rain water.
 Transportation of Bio-medical wastes to the
Treatment and Disposal sites

• Wastes in hospitals should be frequently lifted

from well marked designated collection points in
hospital wards or rooms.
• Open trolleys are often used to collect wastes
from individual bins. In all such cases, each bin
and each trolley must be thoroughly cleaned and
disinfected with 1 % solution of bleaching
powder (hypo chlorite) at least once a week.
 Transportation of Bio-medical wastes to the
Treatment and Disposal sites
• The movement of the sanitation staff should be
prevented or minimized through the designated
clean areas of the hospital.
• Automated waste handling and transport system
is much better than the manual ones.
• The vehicle used for waste transport to the
disposal sites should not be used for any other
purpose.
• Such vehicles should be labeled and designated
for the purpose by the authorities.
Treatment and Disposal of Bio-
medical wastes
• The various methods which may be used
for disposing of the hazardous wastes
from hospitals include:
• (1) Chemical disinfection
• (2) Autoclaving
• (3) Hydroclaving
• (4) Micro waving
• (5) Incineration
 Chemical disinfection
• In this method, the waste is disinfected by
using chemicals like chlorine compounds
such as bleaching powder etc.
• Other chemicals like iodine, alcohols,
phenolic compounds, hexachlorophene,
formaldehydes etc may also be some
times used.
 Autoclaving
• Autoclaving (steam sterilization) is a low
heat thermal process, and is designed to
bring steam into direct contact with the
wastes, in a controlled manner and for
sufficient duration to disinfect the waste.
 Hydroclaving
• An innovation of the autoclave is the hydroclave.
• Here, indirect heating is done by providing steam into
the outer jacket of a double walled container, while the
waste inside the inner container is turned by a suitable
mechanism.
• This causes the waste to be fragmented and
continuously tumbled against the hot vessel walls.
• The moisture content of the waste changes into steam
and the vessel starts to pressurize.
• In the absence of enough moisture in the waste to
pressurize the vessel, a small amount steam is added
until the desired pressure is reached.
• The treatment time is hardly 15 minutes at 1320 C or 30
minutes at1210 C. In the process, sufficient sterilization
occurs and the resultant waste is fragmented and
dehydrated with reduction in volume and weight.
 Micro waving
• In the microwave, heating occurs inside
the waste material.
• This process involves pre-shredding the
waste, injecting it with steam and heating it
for 25 minutes at 250 C under a series of
microwave units.
 Incineration
• Incineration systems involve high
temperature combustion, under controlled
conditions, to convert wastes containing
infections and pathological material to inert
mineral residue and gases.
THANK YOU

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