The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the constitution of high-level task Forces at the central as well as the state level to supervise handling and scientific disposal of COVID-19 waste in accordance with guidelines issued by Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
The bench headed by Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel said, “At the national level, let a high -level task team of Ministry of MoEF&CC, Health UD, Jal Shakti, Defence and CPCB supervise the handling and scientific disposal of COVID-19 waste in accordance with the guidelines.”
The bench has also directed Chief Secretary of States/UTs to coordinate the activities of concerned departments like Urban Development, Health, Irrigation & Public Health for ensuring scientific storage, transport, handling, management and disposal of COVID-19 waste as its unscientific and improper handling would pose a grave threat to the environment and health of people.
The above was stated in a plea regarding remedial action to address the gaps in disposal of bio-medical waste of COVID-19 disease in compliance with the BMW Rules, 2016, in view of potential of such infectious waste adversely affecting public health, concerned workers and professionals etc.
NGT’s Chairperson, Justice Goel on the topic of scientific covid waste disposal observed,
“While the BMW Rules generally take care of the situation by way elaborate provisions to deal with biomedical waste generated in dealing with infectious diseases such as HIV, HINI etc, present pandemic has presented further challenge on account of existing gaps in compliance of BMW Rules in terms of capacity to scientifically dispose of generated waste and non-compliance of procedural and monitoring aspects. COVID-19 virus has emerged suddenly and is highly infectious, requiring more precautions compared to other infectious diseases.”
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The tribunal has also directed the State Departments of Environment and PCBs/PCCs o ensure compliance of Biomedical Waste Management Rules, 2016 and furnish a consolidated report to this Tribunal on the ground status as on 31.5.2020. The report is to be submitted by June 15.
On April 21, when the plea was heard, the bench expressed the need for revision of guidelines issued by the CPCB to address the danger posed by the bio-medical COVID-19 waste in the light of best practices and experience so that all aspects of scientific disposal of liquid and solid waste management are taken care of not only at institution level but also at individual levels (such as manner of disposal of used PPEs, used bags, gloves, goggles, etc., without the same getting straightaway mixed with other municipal solid waste causing contamination etc.), dealing with situations where adequate facilities (like incinerators) are not available, distinct colour guidelines for the bins etc.
Further, the bench addressed the need for reviewing effectiveness of the monitoring mechanism, including online reporting on the handling of such waste by the State PCBs/PCCs on a daily basis, by developing necessary software. Creating awareness by special awareness programmers, organizing training in concerned Local Bodies, Health Departments, providing workers handling COVID-19 waste with adequate protective gear, adequate coordination with media and other concerned regulatory authorities in the States and the Central Government.
The tribunal added that it had already given further directions in the subject of addressing gaps in bio-medical waste management generally in Shailesh Singh v. Sheela Hospital & Trauma Center, Shahjahanpur & Ors.
The plea shall be further heard on June 22.
Read the order here:
