NGT to decide whether biomedical waste disposal units need EC

The National Green Tribunal today reserved its verdict on whether bio-medical waste disposal units require environment clearance prior to being set up.
A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar will pronounce later its decision on whether plants that deal with disposal of bio-medical waste (BMW) need environment clearance after the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and such units submitted that it is not a requirement under the BMW management rules.
The CPCB contended that since BMW is "more hazardous" than the other waste, it is treated separately and has a different set of rules governing its management and disposal.

The authority said that as per the Bio-medical Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, environment clearance is not a requirement.
The only requirement for setting up a BMW disposal plant is clearance from the municipal corporation, the CPCB said.
The issue had come up before the tribunal while dealing with the status of BMW disposal in hospitals in Delhi and Haryana.