India generated around 33,000 tonnes of Covid-19 biomedical waste in the last seven months, with Maharashtra contributing the maximum (3,587 tonnes) to it, according to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data. Over 5,500 tonnes of Covid-19 waste was generated across the country in October –– the maximum for a month so far.
According to the data received from state pollution control boards, since June 2020, all states and union territories have generated 32,994 tonnes of Covid-19-related biomedical waste which is being collected, treated and disposed of by 198 common biomedical waste treatment facilities (CBWTFs).
Covid-19 biomedical waste could include PPE kits, masks, shoe covers, gloves, human tissues, items contaminated with blood, body fluids like dressings, plaster casts, cotton swabs, beddings contaminated with blood or body fluid, blood bags, needles, syringes etc. According to the data, Maharashtra generated 5,367 tonnes of Covid-19 waste in seven months since June, followed by Kerala (3,300 tonnes), Gujarat (3,086 tonnes), Tamil Nadu (2,806 tonnes), Uttar Pradesh (2,502 tonnes), Delhi (2,471 tonnes), West Bengal (2,095 tonnes) and Karnataka (2,026 tonnes). Around 4,530 tonnes of such waste was generated in December, with Maharashtra contributing the maximum 629 tonnes, followed by Kerala (542 tonnes) and Gujarat (479 tonnes)
