As per the Bio-Medical Waste (management and Handling) Rules, 1998, December 31, 1999, is the deadline for implementation. The rules apply to over 11,000 hospitals and more than 27,000 dispensaries in India, including 1,000 healthcare institutions in Mumbai. Hospital waste has been classified into ten categories, depending on which treatment will vary from autoclaving, microwaving, chemical treatment, shredding, incinerating and disposal in secured landfills. Biomedical waste will have to be separated from other wastes and be segregated at the point of generation.

The Centre has also recommended colour coding for categories of bio-medical waste, based on the type of container they are stored in and the manner of treatment. For instance, yellow includes human anatomical waste, animal waste, laboratory waste and solid waste items contaminated with blood. These will have to be put in plastic bags and incinerated or buried deep. However, chlorinated plastics shall not be incinerated. The guidelines also make it mandatory for containers carrying hospital waste to display wash-proof lables with `biohazard' and `cytotoxic hazard' symbols.

Standards have also been laid down for treatment and disposal. For the incineration, combustion efficiency will have to be of minimum 99 per cent. At least two of the city's biggest hospitals have said they will comply with the new guidelines. Dr P M Pai, dean of KEM Hospital, said KEM had been following its own guidelines for waste disposal since August 1991, which conform to international standards. KEM sends its segregated infectious waste to the incinerator at GTB Hospital at Sewri. Dr R G Shirhatti, dean of Sion Hospital, added that his hospital had kicked off sorting out waste in some wards before the guidelines were issued.