Biomedical waste management practices: A cross-sectionalstudy in an urban setting

To study the biomedical waste management practices in different health facilities of Noida U.P.

It is a cross-sectional study including all medical practitioners of urban NOIDA. A modified Biomedical waste auditing questionnaire of Central Pollution Control Board was used to collect data. Data was tabulated on Microsoft Excel sheet and analyzed using Epi-Info version-6 software.

Unqualified medical practitioners which were 39.4% of the study group were not using protective gear; not segregating/labeling/disinfecting the biomedical waste. Among qualified medical practitioners, 32.5% were using mechanical devices, 65% were segregating and labeling biomedical wastes while only 6.9% were disinfecting the sharps. Conclusion: Biomedical waste management is grossly inadequately practiced and there is a need to implement present rules and regulations with renewed vigour.