Project report submitted to the
SRISTI Summer School
(28th May- 17th June 2021)
by
Ankush Halba, Jayendra Buntolia, Richa Patil, Rishav Nanda, And Tanmay
Problem Statement
To improve the existing Covid-19 waste management app to benefit people involved in the whole waste management system, including rag pickers, sanitation workers, and other frontline workers.
1. Problems in hospital waste generation
2.Problems in collection
3. Problems in transport and storage
4. Problems in disposal
Objective
This study was aimed to develop an application to ensure a smooth collection of COVID-19 disposal bags from hospitals and care centers by introducing a priority-based collection with QR stickers containing information about the bag.
Prior Artwork: Review of Literature
Biomedical waste (BMW) is distinct from ordinary municipal waste in that it poses a variety of health risks. After China, India is the world's second-most populated country and the second-worst-affected country after the United States of America by the coronavirus illness 2019 (COVID-19) (As of 9th June 2021) [1]. India is suffering serious consequences during COVID-19 due to a faulty biological waste management system and a lack of resources. BMW that is not treated or managed appropriately is leading to a high risk of infection. The careful treatment and management of BMW can help to minimize hospital-acquired infections and reduce disease transmission rates. Furthermore, neglected or rudimentary BMW handling is inconvenient and reduces patient satisfaction. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data in 2018, the overall BMW produced in India was 517 tons per day in 2016 and roughly 501 tons per day in 2015. Approximately 4–5% remained untreated [2]. According to the CPCB's annual report for 2018/2019, 557 tonnes/day of BMW were produced in 2017, with 517 tonnes/day being treated. There are 198 certified common biomedical waste disposal facilities (CBMWFs) in India, with another 28 under construction.
Process for handling and managing the BMW in India
Biomedical waste is not treated in the same way as municipal garbage. Under the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change(MoEFCC), the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) is the main body for monitoring the country's BMW management operations. Each state has its own state pollution control board, which monitors and regulates BMW activity in that state and reports its results to the CPCB. The country has a firm rule for onsite segregation of generated BMW, incinerators, storing, transporting, and disposing of them as per the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare's biological waste standards. These recommendations must be followed by all minor clinics, diagnostics, laboratories, nursing homes, hospitals, and other healthcare or organizations [3-4]. Previously, the country had ten separate waste sorting categories. It was later divided into four classes to make segregation easier. Infected or potentially infected waste is labeled yellow, seemingly non-infected, and recyclable waste is designated red, sharps and small metallic items are designated white, and waste made up entirely of glass is designated blue.