Invertis Journal of Science & Technology

With a population of 1.4 billion, biomedical waste (BMW) management in India has always been a challenge, which has increased many folds during the coronavirus pandemic. BMW contains hazardous and infectious material and therefore it is important that the personnel involved in the management and disposal of BMW have adequate and up-to-date information/awareness. Collection, carriage, and final disposal of BMW is both critical and challenging at the same time. Healthcare waste contains potentially harmful microorganisms, which can infect hospital professionals, patients, health workers and the public. The Government had laid down ‘BMW (Management and Handling) Rules, in 1998’; ‘BMW (Management and Handling Rules 2011)’; ‘BMW Management Rules, 2016 and BMW (Amendment) Rules, 2018’. Several studies have highlighted that the knowledge about BMW management and its disposal is limited among the healthcare personnel and that the practice is not satisfactory in India. The exploratory research design was utilised for this study with the help of primary data collected through a questionnaire along with the information available from official websites. The present findings reveal that BMW generation has increased by 80.07%, and the workload of BMW management has increased by 72.07% along with 71.43% surge in turnover during the coronavirus pandemic. These findings are in accordance with the recent literature underscoring the urgent need for a congenial environment, with up-to-date information/awareness of BMW and implementation of proper safety regulations to protect the personnel directly involved in BMW management.