Bio-medical waste-threat to environment: Management, disposal, ethical aspects and legal implications

The world health organization [WHO] in 1983 discussed bio-medical waste issue. The seriousness of improper biomedical waste management was brought to the limelight during the “beach wash-ups” during summer 1998; which was investigated by the Environment Protection Agency (EPA) of the USA; and it resulted in the passing of Medical waste tracking Act (MWTA) in November 1998. This made USA the pioneer as far as waste management is concerned (1). Most important regarding the bio-medical waste is health hazards to patient and relatives, microbiological and chemical contamination of soil and ground water (2). Every human being should live in a clean environment is one of the Fundamental Rights, and is the innovative judicial interpretations of article 21 of Constitution of India. Article 48-A and 51 of the Constitution provide to protect and improve the natural environment including forests lakes, rivers and wild life. There are number of statutes like The Water Act, The Air Act, The Environment Protection Act, Hazardous Waste (management and Handling) Rules 1980. Forests Act, the Wild Life Acts and Provision of Indian Penal court, Criminal Procedure Code and Factories Act are meant for providing pollution free environment to mankind. There are many categories of institutions which pollute the environment but recently the ignored field which produce the pollution by way of Bio-Medical waste have attracted the attention of the environmentalists are the Hospitals, Dispensaries, Medical Shops, Medical clinics of doctors and other paramedical staff (3).