EPCA: Send waste to CBWTF, not WtE plants

The quantum of biomedical waste generated in Delhi increased by 15 times in June compared with the preceding month when just 25 tonnes was being produced daily.

According to a report submitted by Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (EPCA) to the Supreme Court, 372 tonnes of biomedical waste was generated in June per day. In July, it was 349 tonnes.

The report, which collected data from both the state and central pollution control boards, mentioned that in Haryana, UP, Rajasthan and Delhi, the quantum of biomedical waste collectively increased from 94 tonnes per day in May to 761 tonnes in July (till July 24).

The Report makes the following recommendations:

• All municipal corporations and state pollution control boards may be directed to use the COVID19BWM APP.

• The South and North Delhi Municipal Corporations may be directed to send the bio-medical waste to CBWTF and not to the waste to energy (WTE) plants since WTE’s are not designed to incinerate bio-medical waste.

• All state pollution control boards/committees (Haryana, UP, Rajasthan and Delhi) may be directed to ensure that all common facilities have online continuous emission monitoring systems (OCEMS) installed in the plants and that the data from this is transmitted to both the state board website and CPCB.