Context: Recently, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has marked Common Bio-Medical Waste Treatment Facilities (CBWTFs) as a key factor in the race to contain the coronavirus outbreak. 
Key Points

• According to the Bio-medical Waste Management Rules, 2016, a Common Bio-medical Waste Treatment and Disposal Facility (CBWTF) is a set up where biomedical waste generated from member health care facilities is imparted necessary treatment to reduce adverse effects that this waste may pose on human health and environment. 
• There were 154 CBMWTFs in 17 states and Union Territories, according to affidavits filed by their chief secretaries at the National Green Tribunal (NGT) between January and July last year. 
• The pollution control board estimates that there are over 1.87 lakh healthcare facilities in the country with 17.01 lakh beds that generate about 519 tonnes of bio-medical waste every day. 
• The NGT noted that even though 20 years had passed since the Supreme Court issued directions on dealing with solid waste management, no progress was made by states and that timelines set under the Municipal Solid Waste Rules, 2016, had expired. 

About Bio-Medical Waste

• According to Bio-medical Waste (Management and Handling) Rules of India "Any waste which is generated during the diagnosis, treatment or immunization of human beings or animals or in research activities pertaining thereto or in the production or testing of biologicals.

Bio-Medical waste consists of:

• Human anatomical waste like tissues, organs and body parts.
• Animal wastes generated during research from veterinary hospitals.
• Microbiology and biotechnology wastes.
• Waste sharps like hypodermic needles, syringes, scalpels and broken glass.
• Discarded medicines and cytotoxic drugs.
• Soiled waste such as dressing, bandages, plaster casts, material contaminated with blood, tubes and catheters.
• Liquid waste from any of the infected areas.
• Incineration ash and other chemical wastes.

About Bio-medical Waste Management Rules, 2016

• Bio-Medical Waste Management Rules 2016 is an improvement to 1998 rules and these new Rules are measures taken in the spirit of Clean India Mission.

Salient features

• The ambit of the rules has been expanded to include vaccination camps, blood donation camps, surgical camps or any other healthcare activity;
• Phase-out the use of chlorinated plastic bags, gloves and blood bags within two years;
• Pre-treatment of the laboratory waste, microbiological waste, blood samples and blood bags through sterilization on-site;
• Provide training to all its health care workers and immunize all health workers regularly;
• Establish a Bar-Code System for bags or containers containing bio-medical waste for disposal;
• Bio-medical waste has been classified in to 4 categories instead 10 to improve the segregation of waste at source;
• Procedure to get authorization simplified.
• Inclusion of emissions limits for Dioxin and furans;
• State Government to provide land for setting up common bio-medical waste treatment and disposal facility;
• No occupier shall establish on-site treatment and disposal facility, if a service of is available at a distance of seventy-five kilometer.
• Operator of a common bio-medical waste treatment and disposal facility to ensure the timely collection of bio-medical waste from the HCFs