CCC installs its first incineration plant for medical wastes

The Chattogram City Corporation (CCC) has installed its first fumeless incineration plant in Halishahar's Anandabazar dumping ground at a cost of TK3 crore for burning medical wastes collected from the public and private hospitals.  

As many as 1.5 tonnes of medical wastes collected daily would be burned in the plant covering a 1,375 sq ft area with a daily capacity of handling 4.8 tonnes. 

The incineration plant was donated by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) under "The project for strengthening solid waste management in Dhaka North City, Dhaka South City and Chattogram City" to bring discipline in solid waste management.  

Chattogram City Corporation Mayor Rezaul Karim Chowdhury Tuesday inaugurated the plant. 

At present medical wastes are mixed up with general wastes that are burned openly polluting the environment, said city corporation officials.

But in the plant, medical wastes will be destroyed in an environmentally-friendly way. It would not only spare the environment from pollution but also it will halt the spread of infectious diseases.   

In a report on the medical waste incineration plant, Chattogram City Corporation said that the city corporation approved a private organisation namely 'Chattogram Sheba Sangstha (CSS)' for collection, transportation and treatment of the medical wastes generated in the city's healthcare centres.

CSS collects medical wastes only from 163 healthcare centres out of the total 283 amounting to 1.5 tonnes which are 60 per cent of the total medical wastes generated in the city and carry it up to the Anandabazar dumping ground at Halishahar.

City corporation officials said that the city corporation started the discussion with JICA regarding the waste management related indiscipline at the beginning of last year. JICA donated the incineration plant to the city corporation after the corporation sought technological help for medical waste management. 

It would cost Tk3.18 lakh per month including electricity and water bill, staff salaries, and diesel to operate the plant.   

The supervising engineer (mechanical) of the city corporation Sudip Basak told TBS that a JICA team is now operating the plant which will be handed over to the city corporation team within the next two months.