SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT

Munish K. Chandel Centre for Environmental Science

and Engineering IIT Bombay

What is Solid Waste?

• Solid waste is the waste arising from human activities and is normally solid as opposed to liquid or gaseous and are discarded as useless or unwanted.

• Focused on urban waste (Municipal Solid Waste) as opposed to agricultural, mining and industrial wastes.

Source: http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/colossal-waste-for-

india/article5290815.ece

http://clearimpression.wordpress.com/2012/06/16/does-sanctity-safeguard-indias-cows-from-

biomedical-and-municipal-solid-waste/

Source: http://www.thehindu.com Source: www.sustainuance.com

Municipal Solid Waste

SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT--WHY ?

• In medieval times, wastes discarded in the streets led to the breeding of rats and the associated fleas which carried the bubonic plague.

• The lack of management of solid wastes thus led to the Black Plague which killed half of 14th century Europe.

• Rising urbanization and change in lifestyle and food habits: Amount of municipal solid waste has been increasing rapidly and its composition changing.

• Solid wastes also have a great potential to pollute the air and water.

Problem of Solid Waste There are different categories of waste generated, each take their own time to

degenerate

SOLID WASTE GENERATION

How much MSW you generate everyday?

Calculate…

SOLID WASTE GENERATION

Small towns - 100 g/p/day

Medium towns - 300-400 g/p/day

Large towns - 500 g/p/day

In general varies between 0.3-0.6 kg/person/day

QUANTITY OF WASTE GENERATION

TOTAL QUANTITY OF SOLID WASTE 1.15 LAKH TONNE

GENERATED IN URBAN AREAS PER DAY (TPD)

OF THE COUNTRY

% OF TOTAL

GARBAGE

WASTE GENERATED IN 6 MEGA CITIES 21,100 TPD 18.4%

WASTE GENERATED IN METRO CITIES 19,643 TPD 17.1%

(1 MILLION PLUS TOWNS)

WASTE GENERATED IN OTHER 42,635.28 TPD 37.1%

CLASS-I TOWNS

(0.1 MILLION PLUS TOWNS) ____________ _________

83,378.28 TPD 72.5%

IF WASTE PRODUCED IN ALL CLASS-I CITIES IS TACKLED, PERCENTAGE

OF WASTE SCIENTIFICALLY MANAGED WOULD BE 72.5% OF TOTAL

WASTE.

0

200

400

600

800

1947 1997 2005 2010 2015 2020

DAILY PER CAPITA WASTE GENERATION (gram)

0

50

100

150

1947 1997 2005 2010 2015 2020

TOTAL WASTE GENERATED

(miilion tonne)

0

20

40

60

80

1947 1997 2005 2010 2015 2020

AREA UNDER LANDFILL (thousand of hecatre)

CHARACTERSTICS OF MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE GENERATED BY MERTO CITIES

Sl

.

N

o.

Metro city Paper Textile Leather Plastic Metal Glass Ash,

Fine

earth

&

others

Comp

ostabl

e

matter

1 Mumbai 10.0 3.6 0.2 2.0 - 0.2 44.0 40.0

2 Delhi 6.6 4.0 0.6 1.5 2.5 1.2 51.5 31.78

3 Hyderabad 7.0 1.7 - 1.3 - - 50.0 40.0

4 Jaipur 6.0 2.0 - 1.0 - 2.0 47.0 42.0

5 Kanpur 5.0 1.0 5.0 1.5 - - 52.5 40.0

6 Chennai 10.0 5.0 5.0 3.0 - - 33.0 44.0

7 Visakhapatna

m

3.0 2.0 - 5.0 - 5.0 50.0 35.0

Characteristics ( Percent by wt. )

Sharholy et al. / Waste Management 28 (2008) 459–467

SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT

• Solid waste management may be defined as the

discipline associated with the control of generation,

storage, collection, transfer and transport, processing,

and disposal of wastes in a manner that is in accordance

with the best principles of public health, economics,

engineering and conservation.

• Integrated Solid Waste Management (ISWM) is the term

applied to all the activities associated with the

management of society's wastes.

FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SOLID

WASTE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

Waste generation

Waste handling, separation and

Storage at the source

Collection

Disposal

Transfer and transport Processing &

Recovery

- Urban Local Bodies spend around Rs. 500-1500/- per

tonne on solid waste management of which,

* 60-70% of the amount is on collection alone

* 20% - 30% on transportation

* Hardly any fund is spent on treatment and

disposal of waste

- Crude dumping of waste in most of the cities

Bin for Source Segregation and Storage

Litter Bins

Street Sweepings

Door to Door Collection

Primary Collection through

community Bins in slums

Community Bins: Commercial Complexes, Multistoried Apartments

Community Bins: Commercial

Complexes, Multistoried Apartments

TYPES OF COLLECTION SYSTEM

Haul container system (HCS)

Stationary container system (SCS)

• Municipal solid waste at the curbside has a density of

~100-200 kg/m3 in developed countries and 300-400

kg/m3 in India.

• At those low densities, collection vehicles fill too fast,

which means multiple, time- wasting trips to the disposal

site would be needed.

• Modern trucks, called packers, have hydraulic,

compactors that can compress that waste to as much as

750 kg/m3 density.

• Compaction Ratio: 2-3

Packers/Compacters Trucks

Compactors

Compactors

• Selection of proper number and size of trucks.

• Choosing the most efficient collection routes and schedules.

• Locating transfer stations if they were to be used.

COMPLEX SOLID WASTE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM

• With the growing importance of recycling and composting, those

basic operations have become more complicated.

• Now, a municipality may have separate trucks, routes, schedules,

and destinations for recyclables and compostable materials—all of

which need to be coordinated with already existing refuse collection

system .

Transportation System

Routing

A heuristic

route

emphasizing

right turns

and a

minimum

amount of

deadheading

• Large vs Small Trucks

• Larger trucks cost more, but they don't- have to make as

many trips back and forth to the disposal site, which can

more than offset the higher capital costs.

• Larger trucks, however, are also less manoeuvrable in

crowded urban areas, and their weight may exceed

allowable limits for residential streets.

Transportation System

• As the distance from the collection system to the processing

facility or disposal site (collectively called destination point)

increases, the cost of hauling or transportation also increases.

• There will eventually be a certain transport distance, where

management must decide whether or not a transfer station is

to be built.

• A transfer station is a facility where the wastes collected may

be stored temporarily or transferred from the smaller

collection vehicles to bigger transport vehicles for

transportations to the destination point.

Transfer Station

Transfer Station

Transfer Station

Direct

Haul

Transfer

Haul

TRANSFORMATION OF SOLID

WASTE

TRANSFORMATION OF SOLID

WASTE Why transform solid waste? Efficient storage, handling and transport

Reduce disposal cost

Stabilize waste

Destroy toxic element (chemical or biological entities)

Generate useful energy

Re-use

TRANSFORMATION OF SOLID

WASTE

Physical method

Chemical method

Biological method

Transformation Process

Transformation Means/Method

Transformation or Principal Conversion Products

1.Component Separation

Manual and/or Mechanical Separation

Individual components found in municipal waste

2. Volume Reduction Application of energy in the form of force or pressure

The original waste component altered in form and reduced in size

3. Size Reduction Application of energy in the form of shredding, grinding, or milling

The original waste components altered in the form of and reduced in size.

Physical Transformation

Transformation Process

Transformation Means/Method

Transformation or Principal Conversion Products

1.Combustion Thermal Oxidation Carbon dioxide (CO2), Sulfur dioxide(SO2), other oxidation products, and Ash

2.Pyrolysis Destructive distillation A gas stream containing a variety of gases, tar and/or pyrolytic oil, and char

3.Gassification Starved air combustion

A low-Btu synthetic gas, a charcoal containing carbon and the inerts originally in the fuel, and oil.

Chemical Transformation

Transformation Process

Transformation Means/Method

Transformation or Principal Conversion Products

1. Composting Aerobic biological conversion

Compost (Humus like material used as a soil conditioner or organic fertilizer

2. Anaerobic digestion (Low or high-solids)

Anaerobic biological conversion

Methane (CH4), Carbon dioxide (CO2), trace gases, digested humus or sludge

Biological Transformation

Shear Shredders

Trommel Screen

Air Classifiers

Magnetic Separation

AEROBIC STABILIZATION:

COMPOSTING

COMPOSTING: ADVANTAGES

Transformation of biodegradable waste into biologically

stable matter using micro organisms.

Reduces the volume of waste.

Destroy pathogens/insects.

End product is a humus like material called compost

that is rich in nutrients. Compost can be used to support

plant growth and as a soil amendment.

COMPOSTING

Conventional

Vermicomposting

High Rate: Rotary Drum Composting

Windrow Composting

Source http://www.grand-island.com/index.aspx?page=173

Source: https://www.americanbiogascouncil.org/images/genericDigestionProcess.gif

Rotary Drum Composting

Worms

Eudrilus eugeniae

Eisenia fetida

VERMICOMPOSTING

Anaerobic Digestion of Solid Waste

Anaerobic Digestion of Solid Waste

Source: http://sternerconsulting.com/blog/new-efficient-anaerobic-digestion-facilities-

recycle-organic-wastes-into-renewable-energy-and-rich-compost/

Status India

• In India, Western Paques have tested the anaerobic digestion process to produce methane gas. The results of the pilot plant show that 150 t/day of MSW produce 14,000 m3 of biogas with a methane content of 55–65%, which can generate 1.2 MW of power.

• Which means 56 MWe from Mumbai MSW with 7000 tonne/day

• How much electricity can be produced from anaerobic digestion in your city?

Source: WASTE MANAGEMENT SUMMIT INDIA 2014 TOWARDS GREENER AND CLEANER INDIA, https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/20141205154946-87779745-waste-management-summit-india-2014towards-greener-and-cleaner-india

Grate incinerator for domestic

waste burning

Source: http://www.igniss.pl/en/msw_municipal_waste_incinerators.php

• Many developed countries do not want to use incinerators/waste to energy for the MSW management…

• Why?

Waste-to-energy

Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins

EMISSIONS FROM INCINERATORS

Emissions: • Organic Compounds: Dioxins, Furans, Polychlorinated

biphenyls (PCBs), Volatile organic compounds (VOCs), Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), Chlorinated Benzenes etc.

• Heavy Metals: As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, etc. • Particulate Matter: PM 2.5, PM 10 • Inorganic Gases: HCl, HF, HBr, SOx, NOx etc. • Organic Gases: CO, CO2 etc.

EMISSIONS FROM INCINERATORS

Solid Outputs: • Fly ash: contains soot, PAHs, PCBs, Dioxins, Furans and Heavy

Metals like Pb, Cd, Cu, Zn etc.

Incinerator Effluent: • Wastewater from wet exhaust gas cleaning contains heavy metals

(Pb, Cd, Sb, Cu, Hg, Zn etc.), neutral salts and unburned organic material.

Dioxins and Furans:

• The most publicized concerns from environmentalists about the

incineration of municipal solid wastes (MSW) involve the fear that it produces significant amounts of dioxin and furan emissions

• Class of compounds that are highly toxic

• Formed as a by-product of combustion involving chlorine related compounds and hydrocarbons.

• Persistent organic pollutants (POPs).

Dioxins and Furans:

• Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) – Technically PCDDs are derivatives of dibenzo-p-dioxin. – 75 PCDDs, and seven of them are specifically toxic

Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins Polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs

• Polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) – Technically PCDFs are derivatives of dibenzofuran. – 135 congeners (derivatives differing only in the number and location of chlorine

atoms). – Strictly speaking are not dioxins, ten of them have "dioxin-like" properties.

• TCDD (2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin) - most toxic compound known to science.

Gasification

DISPOSAL

Open dumping

Barging in to sea

Land filling: Disposal of residual solid wastes in the

surface soils of the earth.

Why Landfill

Unmanaged and uncontrolled, solid wastes openly

dumped on the land:

• Generate liquid and gaseous emissions (leachate and

landfill gas) that can pollute the environment

• Represent a breeding ground for disease-bearing

animals and microorganisms

• Other risks to the public health and safety and to the

environment

Sanitary Landfill

• Controlled disposal of waste on the land.

• Controls the exposure of the environment and humans

to the detrimental effects of solid wastes placed on the

land.

• Disposal is accomplished in a way such that contact

between wastes and the environment is significantly

reduced, and wastes are concentrated in a well defined

area.

• Good control of landfill gas and leachate, and limited

access of vectors (e.g., rodents, flies, etc.) to the wastes

Sanitary Landfills

Source: http://www.nodumpconecuhcounty.com/what_is_a_landfill.html

Temporary

Holding area Environmental

monitoring facilities

Equipment

workshop

Inspection/

Screening

facility

Weighing

scale

Access

road

Leachate

treatment

facility

Gas

flaring

facility

Surface

water

collection

facility

Typical Layout of a Landfill

Completed

fill

Active

filling

area

Future

fill area

Stock piled

cover

material

Office

Landfill-Bottom

Cell liner

Leachate Collection System

Dump truck

Landfill operation

Landfill Cell

Vertical Piping System

POSTCLOSURE CARE

Activities associated with the long-term

monitoring and maintenance of the landfill

(typically 30-50 years).

MSW rules 2000 recommends at least

fifteen years

Facility on Restored landfill

Example: Estimating Landfill

Requirements

Estimate the landfill area needed to handle one year’s MSW (7000 tonnes/day) for Mumbai. Assume no combustion, a landfill density of 600 kg/m³, and a single 3m lift. Assume that 20 percent of the cell volume is soil used for cover.

Legal framework • Municipal Solid Waste (Management & Handling ) Rule was

notified by the Ministry of Environment and Forest, Govt. of India [vide No.S.O.908 (B) dated the 25th September 2000].

• The objective of these Rules are:

To make every municipal authority responsible for the implementation of the various provisions of the Rules within its territorial area and also to develop an effective infrastructure for collection, storage, segregation, transportation, processing and disposal of Municipal Solid Wastes

• As per MSW Rule 2000, biodegradable material should not be landfilled

Source: www.powermag.com

3R’s of better MSW management

Reduce & Reuse • The most effective way to reduce waste is to not create it in the first place.

• By reducing and reusing, consumers and industry can save natural resources and reduce waste management costs.

Recycling Recycling turns materials that would otherwise become waste into valuable

resources.

Benefits of Recycling

• Recycling reduces the need for landfilling and incineration.

• Recycling prevents pollution caused by the manufacturing of products from virgin materials.

• Recycling saves energy.

• Recycling decreases emissions of greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change

• Recycling conserves natural resources such as timber, water, and minerals.

• Recycling helps sustain the environment for future generations.

Municipal waste management in 32 European

countries, 2001–2010

Source: Managing municipal solid waste — a review of achievements in 32

European countries (EEA Report No 2/2013)

OPEN YARD

DUMPING

94%

COMPOST5%

OTHERS1%

CURRENT DISPOSAL METHODS INDIA

http://www.ubbessex.co.uk/technology/

Source: http://knowledge.allianz.com/environment/pollution/?728/indias-

massive-waste-problem-gallery

A child walks through plastic waste on a sea front in India's

financial capital Mumbai. Non-organic waste dumped in rivers and

sewers invariably ends up in India's seas.

Source: http://knowledge.allianz.com/environment/pollution/?728/indias-

massive-waste-problem-gallery

Birds fly over a burning garbage dump in search of food on the outskirts of New

Delhi

Composting organic materials, however, could reduce the amount of material

dumped by 50 percent (Source: Reuters)

Source: http://knowledge.allianz.com/environment/pollution/?728/indias-

massive-waste-problem-gallery

National Geographic Best Environmental Photos of

2011: Waste Picker Children in Kathmandu

Source: http://www.wasteventures.org/connect/blog/page/2/

Source: http://www.globalgiving.org/photo/PRA36261/lalbabu-and-naveen-pose-under-an-easybin-banner-photo-f/

Biomedical Waste Management

• "Bio-medical waste" means any waste, which is

generated during the diagnosis, treatment or

immunisation of human beings or animals or in research

activities pertaining to the production or testing of

biological.

• "Biologicals" means any preparation made from organisms or

product of metabolism and biochemical reactions intended for use in

the diagnosis, immunisation or the treatment of human beings or

animals or in research activities pertaining thereto;

Biomedical Waste

• Biomedical waste, (BMW), consists of solids, liquids, sharps, and laboratory waste that are potentially infectious or dangerous

• Common producers of biomedical waste include hospitals, health clinics, nursing homes, medical research laboratories

TYPES OF HOSPITAL WASTES Infectious Hospital Wastes: • Human anatomical or surgical waste,

• Animal waste

• Pathological waste including tissues, organs, blood and body fluids, microbiological cultures, Cotton, Swabs etc.

• Used Syringes, tubes, Blood bags and other items contaminated with blood and body fluids.

• Items such as plaster and bandages, when contaminated by blood.

• Waste from isolation wards.

The amount of infectious waste is ~15-20% of the total wastes generated from the health care establishment.

TYPES OF HOSPITAL WASTES Non Infectious Hospital Waste: • Kitchen waste and office wastes---similar to household waste

• Non infectious wastes constitute ~80-85% of the total wastes generated from a health care unit

• In absence of proper segregation, the non infectious waste becomes infectious and poses environmental threat to the society.

Status India • 52,000 (~53 %), health care establishments are in operation without

obtaining authorization from SPCBs/PCCs which means that waste generated from such facilities goes unaccounted and is dumped without any adequate treatment illegally.

• ~288 tons per day (57%) out of 506 tons per day wastes

generated is being treated either through Common Bio

Medical Waste Treatment Facilities (159 in number) or captive

treatment facilities.

• 602 bio-medical waste incinerators

~ 70 % incinerators are provided with air pollution control devices

• 2,218 autoclaves

• 192 microwaves

• 8,038 shredders

Source: Mohankumar et al. 2011; International Journal of Pharmaceutical & Biological Archives 2011; 2(6):1621-1626

Biomedical waste generation

Average: 1.60 kg/bed/day

Patil and Shekdar, Journal of Environmental Management (2001) 63, 211–220

Proportion of Biomedical Waste

•Waste mixed with general waste renders the whole waste

Bio-hazardous Patil and Shekdar, Journal of Environmental Management (2001) 63, 211–220

Bio Medical Waste :

(Management and Handling) Rules 2011

• Every occupier generating BMW, irrespective of the quantum of wastes comes under the BMW Rules and requires to obtain authorisation

• Every hospital generating Biomedical waste need to set up requisite Biomedical Waste Treatment facilities to ensure requisite treatment of waste.

Elements of the Biomedical Waste Management (As per rules)

Biomedical Waste

Biomedical waste minimization/Separation

Biomedical waste identification

(Category, use of color coding/labeling)

(Schedule for collection within the health care premises) and

(Selection of storage area till on-site treatment or transport to off-site treatment)

Biomedical waste treatment

(On-site/off-site)

Biomedical waste disposal

Record/Report

CATEGORIES OF BIO-MEDICAL

WASTE: As per Rules

Option

Waste Category Treatment & Disposal

Category

No. 1

Human Anatomical Waste

(human tissues, organs, body parts) Incineration

Category

No. 2

Animal Waste (animal tissues, organs, body parts,

carcasses, bleeding parts, fluid, blood and

experimental animals used in research, waste

generated by veterinary hospitals, colleges,

discharge from hospitals, animal

houses)

Incineration

Category

No. 3

Microbiology & Biotechnology Waste

(Wastes from laboratory cultures, human and

animal cell culture, infectious agents from

research and industrial laboratories, wastes from

production of biologicals, etc

Disinfection at source by

chemical treatment or by

autoclaving/ microwaving

followed by mutilation/shredding

and after treatment final disposal

in secured landfill or disposal of

recyclable wastes through

registered or authorized

recyclers.

Option Waste Category

Treatment & Disposal

Category No 4 Waste Sharps (needles, syringes,

scalpels, blade, glass, etc.) Disinfection by chemical treatment or

destruction by needle and tip cutters,

autoclaving or microwaving followed

by mutilation/Shredding

Then Final Disposal into secured

landfill or in designated concrete

waste sharp pit

Category No 5 Discarded Medicines and Cytotoxic

drugs (Waste comprising of outdated,

contaminated and discarded

medicines)

Disposal in secured landfills or

Incineration

Category No 6 Soiled Waste

(items contaminated with blood, and

body fluids including cotton,

dressings, soiled plaster casts,

bedding, other material contaminated

with blood)

Incineration

Option Waste Category

Treatment & Disposal

Category No. 7

Waste generated from disposal items

other than the sharps such as tubings,

catheters, intravenous sets

etc.

Disinfection by chemical

treatment, autoclaving/

microwaving and mutilation/

shredding

After treatment final disposal

through registered or

authorized recyclers.

Category No. 8 Chemical Waste (Chemicals used in

production of biological,

chemicals used in disinfection, as

insecticides, etc.)

Chemical treatment and

discharge into drains for

liquids and secured landfill

for solids.

COLOUR CODING AND TYPE OF CONTAINER FOR DISPOSAL OF BIO-MEDICAL WASTES

Colour

Coding

Type of Container -Waste Category Treatment options as per

Schedule I

Yellow Non-chlorinated Plastic bag Cat. 1, 2, 5,

6

Incineration

Red Non-chlorinated Plastic bag /Puncture

proof container Cat. 3, 4,7

As per Schedule I

Blue Non-chlorinated Plastic bag

Cat 8

As per Schedule I

Black Non-chlorinated Plastic bag ; Municipal

waste

Municipal dump site

Treatment

Needle Cutter and Syringe Destroyer

Needle Cutter Syringe & Needle Destroyer

Incinerator

Source: www.thermaxindia.com/Fileuploader/Files/IncineratorBrochure_new.pdf

Incinerator with Venturi Scrubbing System

Incinerators

It is a controlled combustion process where waste is completely oxidized and harmful microorganisms present in it are destroyed/denatured under high temperature.

A. Operating Standards

1. Combustion efficiency (CE) shall be at least 99.00%.

2. The Combustion efficiency is computed as follows:

%CO2

C.E. = ------------ X 100

%CO2 + % CO

3. The temperature of the primary chamber shall be 800 ± 50 ºC.

4. The secondary chamber gas residence time shall be at least 1 (one) second at 1050 ± 50 ºC , with minimum 3% Oxygen in the stack gas.

B. Emission Standards

Parameters Concentration mg/Nm3 at (12% CO2 Correction)

(1) Particulate matter 150

(2) Nitrogen Oxides 450

(3) HCI 50

(4) Minimum stack height shall be 30 metres above ground

(5) Volatile organic compounds in ash shall not be more than 0.01%

Microwaving

• In microwaving, microbial inactivation occurs as a result of thermal

effect of electromagnetic radiation spectrum lying between the

frequencies 300 and 300,000MHz.

• The waste material is first shredded and then mixed with water.

Medical waste is placed into the microwave where it is heated

effectively neutralizing all biological waste.

Autoclaving Vertical & horizontal autoclave

Stovetop autoclaves - the simplest of autoclaves

Irradiation

• Another method used to sterilize medical equipment or waste is irradiation, generally through exposure of the waste to a cobalt source

• The gamma radiation generated by the cobalt source inactivates all microbes that may be present in the waste.

• Dedicated sites are required for this form of treatment

• The cost of developing a dedicated facility for this method is quite high

• The risk , although low, of radiation exposure to workers operating the facility

Plasma Pyrolysis

• Pyrolysis: Thermal disintegration process of carbonaceous material in oxygen starved environment.

• Plasma is a means to convert electrical energy into heat energy efficiently.

– Plasma torch generate 20000 ºC at the core

– No air/gas flow required

Prototype Plasma Pyrolysis System

installed at Goa Medical College

(System Capacity-15 Kg/hr)

Common Bio-Medical Waste Treatment Facility (CBWTF)

Biomedical waste, generated from a number of

healthcare units, is treated to reduce its adverse

effects.

Need of CBWTF

• Installation of individual treatment facilities by small healthcare units requires comparatively high capital investment.

• Separate manpower and infrastructure development required for proper operation and maintenance of treatment systems.

• Risk of proliferation of treatment equipment in a city.

• Monitoring pressure on regulatory agencies.

• By running the treatment equipment at CBWTF to its full capacity, the cost of treatment of per kilogram gets significantly reduced.

DEEP BURIAL 1. For population less than 5 Lacs

2. A pit or trench should be dug about 2 meters deep. It should be half filled with

waste, then covered with lime within 50 cm of the surface, before filling the rest

of the pit with soil.

3. Must be ensured that animals do not have any access to burial sites. Covers of

galvanised iron/wire meshes may be used.

4. On each occasion, when wastes are added to the pit, a layer of 10 cm of soil

shall be added to cover the wastes.

5. Burial must be performed under dedicated supervision.

6. The deep burial site should be relatively impermeable and no shallow well

should be close to the site.

7. The pits should be distant from habitation, and sited so as to ensure that no

contamination occurs of any surface water or ground water. The area should

not be prone to flooding or erosion.

8. The location of the deep burial site will be authorised by the prescribed

authority.

9. The institution shall maintain a record of all pits for deep burial.

Source: http://www.healingtalks.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/medical-

wastes.jpg