App developed in AP for management and disposal of biomedical waste from COVID hospitals 

The Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board has developed a mobile app for effective management and scientific disposal of biomedical waste from COVID-19 hospitals and quarantine centres. Over 600 notified COVID-19 hospitals in the state are now generating about 38 tonnes of biomedical waste per day and scientific disposal of this has posed the biggest challenge for APPCB, according to its Chairman A K Parida.

Chittoor district, which has a higher caseload of Coronavirus, is generating 5.70 tonnes of biomedical waste on an average per day, followed by East Godavari 5.13 tonnes. Kadapa district is generating the lowest of 0.24 tonnes per day. "We have prescribed detailed guidelines for treatment and scientific disposal of COVID-19 waste at hospitals, quarantine centres and even at homes. We are closely monitoring the collection, transportation and treatment of the COVID-19 medical waste and a mobile app has been developed for this purpose," Parida said.

All hospitals, quarantine centres and testing laboratories in the state have to mandatorily register on the app and update the biomedical waste generation and segregation details. "Biomedical waste generated during COVID-19 patient isolation, testing and care needs special consideration. There are 12 Common Bio Medical Waste Treatment and Disposal Facilities (CBMWTF) connected to the notified COVID-19 hospitals for scientific disposal of the medical waste. We are tracking the transportation to the CBMWTF through GPS," the APPCB Chairman said.

Parida said Continuous Ambient Air Quality (CAAQ) was also being monitored at the CBMWTFs to ensure that the emission standards were within the permissible limits. "The APPCB has prescribed detailed guidelines for handling, treatment and disposal of COVID-19 waste at healthcare facilities, quarantine centres, home care, sample collection centres and laboratories. Patients in home isolation are required to hand over the domestic hazardous waste in a separate yellow bag to the respective civic bodies, which in turn will be handed over to the nearest CBMWTFs for disposal as bio-medical waste," Parida said.