Conceptual Barricades to Coronavirus Disease 2019 Biomedical Waste Management

Abstract

Biomedical waste management (BMWM) is a major environmental health concern. Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic came as bolt from the blue for governance with negligible preparedness. Pandemic COVID-19 has led to generation of solid waste in large volumes. Such BMW is an additional challenge in COVID-19 situation for healthcare facilities supplementary to COVID-19 pandemic management, control and prevention strategies. Centre for Pollution Control Board (CPCB) issued guidelines for COVID-19 related BMW waste in 3^rd week of March 2020 and subsequently revised the same on 25^th March 2020 and then on 18^th April 2020. Scenario becomes compounded with less literate workers handling BMW required to develop newer competencies with deficient training and timeframe. Lots has been done to prepare COVID-19 related BMW waste management and lots still needs to be done to cover all the guidelines including practicality of implementation and ensuring less compromise on quality healthcare. This article focuses to review the COVID-19 related revised BMW requirements and their critical appraisal.