Gujarat generates more than 52,800 kg of biomedical waste per day. The amount of biomedical waste in the state increased by 30% during the Post Covid-19 pandemic. Gujarat ranks fifth in the country in terms of biomedical waste, according to statistics presented in Lok Sabha by the Union Ministry of Forest Environment. Gujarat generated 49,492 kg of medical waste per day in 2020, which increased to 52,800 kg per day in 2021. Moreover, some medical professionals have stated that Ahmedabad alone is responsible for over 60 per cent of the state’s overall medical waste production. However, Ahmedabad Municipal Commissioner M Thennarson has claimed that the health care system in the city is excellent which may indicate that the amount of medical waste is high. The Central Pollution Control Board has launched the ‘COVID-19BWM APP’ mobile application to ensure that biomedical waste is collected, transported, and delivered to a registered common biomedical waste treatment facility. During Covid-19, there were complaints about the proper disposal of biomedical waste in Gujarat. Social media users shared images of PPE kits, masks, and gloves being thrown outside hospitals, cemeteries, and other public places.
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