Medical establishment fees revised to enhance Bio-Medical Waste management

The Government of Maharashtra has issued a new Government Resolution GR revising the consent fees for medical establishments and biomedical waste management projectsThe decision comes as part of an effort to ensure stricter compliance with the BioMedical Waste Management Rules 2016 and to reinforce the regulatory framework surrounding environmental safety in medical facilitiesThe Indian Medical Association and the Maharashtra Branch of the Federation of Obstetrics and Gynecological Societies of India requested the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board to implement a simplified fee structure instead of a propertybased fee As a result the fee structure for Combined Consent and BMW Authorization was reviewed and a revised proposal was submitted to the government for approvalThe resolution dated August 21 2024 was issued by the Department of Environment and Climate Change It revises the consent fees under the Combined Consent and BioMedical Waste Authorization which is required for all medical establishments and biomedical waste management centers operating under the jurisdiction of the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board MPCBAccording to the GR the revision in fees will apply to all private medical establishments and biomedical waste management centers while state and central government healthcare establishments are exempt from these fees The revised fees vary depending on the size and scale of the medical establishment with a specific fee structure outlined for facilities ranging from zerobed clinics to large hospitals with over 1000 bedsHospitals and medical establishments produce a variety of waste materials from different sections including wards operation theatres and outpatient departments This waste includes items like bandages cotton soiled linen body parts sharps such as needles and syringes discarded or expired medicines and laboratory waste all of which are potentially infectious To prevent contamination and hospitalacquired infections it is crucial that these materials are properly collected segregated stored transported treated and disposed ofIndia generates a substantial amount of BioMedical Waste BMW each year According to the Ministry of Environment and Forests MoEF the country produces approximately 405702 kg of BMW per day However only 291983 kgday is effectively treated and disposed of leaving nearly 2837 of the waste untreated This untreated waste often ends up in landfills or water bodies reentering our environment and posing significant health risksPreviously it was mandatory for medical establishments to independently pay fees for consent and biomedical waste authorization However this fee structure was revised and canceled as per the government decision dated October 10 2022The GR emphasizes that this revision is aimed at enhancing compliance with environmental regulations and ensuring that all medical waste is managed in an environmentally responsible manner The government also highlighted that the revised fee structure is designed to support ongoing efforts to monitor and regulate biomedical waste management more effectivelyThe new fee structure will take effect immediately and all relevant establishments are expected to comply with the updated requirements The resolution is available on the official Maharashtra government website where further details and the full fee structure can be accessedThe move is a critical step towards strengthening environmental governance in Maharashtras healthcare sector ensuring that biomedical waste is handled safely and responsibly to protect public health and the environment said an official from the state environment and climate change departmentRevised consent feesSr NoMedical EstablishmentFee in Rupees per Term1Zero Bed1000 One term Three years for Zero Bed2110 Beds200031150 Beds5000451100 Beds150005101300 Beds500006301500 Beds10000075011000 Beds2000008More than 1000 Beds5000009Pathological Labs Blood Banks Diagnostic Centers500010BioMedical Waste Management Centers100000The term Zero Bed refers to medical establishments such as outpatient clinics dispensaries etc that do not have inpatient beds