Page 64 - CIJ May 2023 Digital Edition

Waste ManageMent

The appropriate number of facilities
Is there a collection should be decided according to the
system in place for quantum of waste generation; the
expired medicines? collection and monitoring system Across the country, about
should be very stringent. The CPCB
When a pharma has developed an app in which all
company signs a contract collection vehicles are GPS-linked, 80-85% of expired stock is
with a distributor, and parameters like quantity of being collected by distributors,
it mandates that the waste, waste categories collected but yes, there are smaller
latter is responsible for from a particular centre and time of
collecting the entire collection can be tracked. companies which still resort to
quantum of expired crude dumping. This is an area
medicine. Major players
in the pharma industry Cluster model where strong interventions
are 100% compliant; Rajasthan has a cluster of a few and a regulatory framework
smaller companies may hundred cloth dyeing units. They are required.
not be so. have formed an association and
Earlier, pharmacists constructed an effluent treatment plant
and chemists would with the collected funds. Each unit
dispose of expired pays for its operation according to its
medicines in the respective quantum of production. Clusters also need a TSDF of their
municipal waste itself. In A similar model will work for own. Incineration can be expensive;
Indore, 100% waste of pharma production clusters. If x is the
pharma waste generated volume manufactured per month by to reduce cost, we must categorise
is sent to a common a unit, y is how much effluent it will what stream of waste requires
biomedical waste generate and z is what they have to pay incineration and what can go directly
treatment and disposal for the operation of the ETP per month. to the landfill.
facility. Across the
country, about 80-85%
of expired stock is being
collected by distributors,
but yes, there are smaller
companies which still
resort to crude dumping.
This is an area where
strong interventions and
a regulatory framework
are required.

CIJ

MAY 2023•Clean India Journal
64 www.cleanindiajournal.com