Page 63 - CIJ May 2023 Digital Edition

Waste ManageMent

There are prescribed limits for discharge (ZLD) system, 100% of
flue gases which emerge from the the liquid waste has either to be
incinerator; it is mandatory for these recycled or evaporated.
to be monitored in the chimney. First, all effluents need to be
treated as per norms, after which it 100% of pharma plastic,
Monitoring is sent through a reverse osmosis if collected, is recyclable.

There are definite standard system that can recover 85-90%
operating procedures that need to of water for reuse. The remaining Considering the high-
be followed for incinerators; their 10% has very high total dissolved stakes nature of the
monitoring is very stringent. The solids; the water part is evaporated business, high quality,
state and central pollution control and the solid component is sent to
boards have access to the above the TSDF. pure plastic tends to be
data, and can monitor it online. If used, which has a high
any parameter breaches prescribed Plastic recycling recyclability value.
limits, they can act as per rules and EPR is mandatory for the pharma
impose environmental penalties.
industry. As manufacturers, they Asad Warsi
have to get registered with the state
Liquid waste pollution control board if they are

Pharma production facilities are operating in two states, and with autoclaved again before being sent
mandated to have a zero liquid the central pollution control board to registered plastic recyclers. This
if they are operating in more than
two states. is strictly followed, but in remote
areas and small towns, some of this
100% of pharma plastic, plastic waste will end up going to
if collected, is recyclable. kabadiwalas as well.
Considering the high-stakes nature
of the business, high quality, pure Pan-India model
plastic tends to be used, which has
a high recyclability value. There are more than 200 common
Saline bottles, syringes and tubes biomedical waste treatment
are mostly made of HDPE. At and disposal facilities across
biomedical waste facilities, they are the country; each is meant to
disinfected through autoclaving, cover a radius of 75 kilometres.
segregated, shredded, and Rates are set by the government.
Unfortunately, some people who
want to enter this business do not
Can pharmaceutical know its nitty gritties.
products/materials spilled Healthcare facilities want this
during the manufacturing service to be provided at the
process be recovered and lowest possible prices, and hence
reused? lobby the government to have
Yes, they can, if they are more such facilities. But there are
not contaminated. But if some small districts which have a
contamination has occurred, population of only 25,000-50,000;
they are considered as in such scenarios, a CB WTF is not
hazardous waste and need financially viable.
to be sent to TSDFs for More facilities will spark off
incineration. This material rate competition; this happened
cannot be sent directly some years ago in Haryana and
to landfills. As per the Karnataka. The rate became so low
rules, only the ash after that the service provider did not
incineration can be sent to find it viable to process the waste;
TSDFs. they collected it and just dumped it
at municipal sites.

Clean India Journal•MAY 2023 63
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