Medical waste floods Ctg junkyards, recycling sites, risking public health

A staggering amount of hazardous medical waste is being illegally processed and recycled in junk shops and recycling sites in the port city, defying regulations and posing a grave threat to public health.

According to the Medical Waste (Management and Processing) Rules of 2008, medical waste is strictly prohibited from being processed or recycled outside designated centres due to the extreme health hazards it poses.

The Department of Environment (DoE) officials in Chattogram recently conducted raids on two recycling sites and a junkyard in the Mohora and Anandabazar areas of the city, seizing significant quantities of infectious medical waste being dangerously processed.

The DoE's investigation unveiled problems originating both at the source, involving medical facilities, and during disposal, especially at the incineration sites.

Deputy Director of DoE, Miah Mahmudul Hoque, voicing his concerns, said, "Allegations point to certain city hospitals, clinics, and diagnostic centres potentially engaging in illicit sale of medical waste to scrap traders. Simultaneously, Chattogram Sheba Shangstha, responsible for waste transport from healthcare facilities, has also been implicated in selling a portion of collected waste to junk traders."

The DoE official emphasised that medical waste cannot be recycled under the law, as it poses significant health risks. He also raised concerns about labourers processing the waste without protective measures, potentially endangering their lives.

He warned against the possibility of infected medical items entering the market, which could have disastrous consequences for public health.

The DoE is pursuing legal action in four separate cases, with eight individuals, including Jamir Uddin, the owner of Chattogram Sheba Shangstha, accused of involvement in the illicit trade of medical waste.

"We found the Chattogram Sheba Shangstha authorities responsible for medical waste going to the junk shops in two cases. In two other cases we found the hospital and clinic owners responsible for selling them to junk traders", he said, adding that the charge sheets in the two cases are almost ready and will be submitted to the court soon.

Monir Hosen, inspector of DoE, said the environmental clearance certificate of Chattogram Sheba Shangstha has been suspended as it has been accused in two cases.

Denying any involvement in selling medical waste to junk traders, Jamir Uddin claimed that the DoE lacked concrete evidence to support these allegations and emphasised his organisation's commitment to safe medical waste collection and incineration.

For any wrongdoing, he placed the responsibility on the clinics or the city corporation's incineration point.

He said Chattogram Sheba Shangstha collects 800-1,200kg of medical waste daily from over 200 healthcare facilities in the city, acting solely as a conduit to deliver the waste to the city corporation's incineration point. 

Jamir Uddin called for a fair investigation into the matter and urged stringent action against those engaged in the illegal trade in medical waste.

However, the Chattogram City Corporation has yet to suspend its contract to collect medical waste.

Abul Hashem, chief cleaning officer of the city corporation, acknowledged the presence of hazardous medical waste in the black market, primarily blaming clinics on the city's outskirts. 

"We have urged the DoE to initiate legal proceedings against those involved in this illicit trade. We have also cautioned Chattogram Sheba Shangstha that if they fail to prevent the leakage of medical waste into the black market, their contract may be suspended," he stated.

Abul Hashem further urged the Civil Surgeon's office to issue warnings to clinics, compelling them to cease selling waste to scrap dealers.

In 2022, Chattogram City Corporation installed an incineration plant at the Anandabazar landfill, boasting a daily disposal capacity of four tonnes of medical waste, investing Tk3 crore.

Chattogram Sheba Shangstha, owned by Zamir Uddin, the younger brother of a panel mayor of the city corporation, was assigned to collect and transport medical waste to the incineration facility.