Biomedical waste (BMW)is generated at various places viz., hospitals, nursing homes, maternity homes, basic level health care centres, immunization centres, diagnostic centres, blood banks, health camps, blood donation camps, institution laboratories, doctors’ chambers, pharmacies and even households. All these sources come under the purview of Bio-Medical Waste (Management and Handling) Rules 1998. Efforts towards safe and proper management of biomedical waste in Kolkata date back to the 1990s, even prior to the introduction of the Bio-Medical Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 1998. Dept. of Health & Family Welfare, Govt. of Kolkata took initiative towards this through several projects. With the introduction of the BMW Rules in 1998, WBPCB became the designated authority to approve and monitor BMW management in the Kolkata. After ten years of the introduction of BMW Rules, it is imperative to assess the achievements and the failures, the problems and the prospects of BMW management in the Kolkata. Thus the study was undertaken. The most important task of the present study has been an assessment of the amount of BMW generated in different categories of Health Care Units (HCUs) in Kolkata. The foremost step for the assessment of Bio-Medical Waste generated essentially calls for preparation of an inventory of the HCUs under study by CATEGORY.

Abstract

Fish is a popular human food. Over two-and-a-half billion people globally obtain their daily nutrient intake from fish. In India, it is a major dietary component for over 50 percent, and is a particularly important nutrition source for the poor. Mercury is a deadly environmental pollutant, both in its elemental form and in combination with other chemicals. When released into the environment mercury is transformed into methylmercury through microbial action. Methylmercury is the most pernicious form of mercury. It bioaccumulates in fish and enters human body with the consumption of contaminated fish. Fish in polluted water bodies accumulate methylmercury – a toxic pollutant of high potency that crosses the blood brain barrier and placental barrier, making it an intergenerational toxin. It enters the food chain both from point and non-point sources. Effluent pipes from industrial processes often contain mercury or mercury compounds. Emissions and ash from coal-fired power plants also contain mercury. It is well known that mercury circulates globally and deposits in water, bioaccumulating in the food chain through algae and fish. The higher the pecking order of a fish in the food chain, greater is the amount of mercury it is likely to contain. Advisories on fish consumption are quite common in developed countries, especially for pregnant women. Human exposure to such toxins therefore assumes significance. Contamination of this vital food is a key issue.In developing countries, issues like food contamination rarely draw attention. Mere availability of food is argued to be of foremost concern. In this scenario of poverty and hunger, system of industrial production has largely remained unaccountable to society and the environmental pollution it causes .