IMA INITIATIVE OF BIOMEDICAL WASTE MANAGEMENT IN KERALA “IMAGE”
The entire Bio-medical Waste generated in the State of Kerala is managed by IMAGE (IMA Goes Eco-friendly) initiative of IMA Kerala State Branch. The biomedical waste segregated at source is collected, transported and scientifically treated by IMAGE as per the Rules and Regulations stipulated by the Bio-medical Waste Management Rules 2016 [Amended in 2018].
IMAGE[Indian Medical Association Goes Eco-friendly]:IMAGE Project was launched on 21st October 2001 by the Indian Medical Association, Kerala State Branch and the IMAGE Plant, the Common Biomedical Waste Treatment and Disposal Facility (CBWTF) established at Kanjikode, Palakkad,was commissioned on the 14th December 2003for the scientific management of biomedical waste generated from health care facilities in Kerala. IMAGE was conceived and launched to support the healthcare providers to overcome the challenges of disposal of hospital waste in accordance with the provision of the Biomedical Waste (Management and Handling) Rules 1998 with the approval of Kerala State Pollution Control Board.
IMAGE PLANT, PALAKKAD
IMAGE PLANT is situated in the midst of 23 acres of land at Manthuruthy, Kanjikode, Palakkad. There are 5 main Buildings & few small buildings for the plant with a total plinth area more than 60,000 sq.ft. IMAGE is now the largest Biomedical Waste Treatment Plant in India which has the capacity to treat more than 40 tons of Bio-medical waste per day.
The plant machinery includes 5 huge medical Incinerators(equipped with Online Continuous Stack Emission Monitoring System (O-CEMS), 5 Autoclaves, 4 Shredders, 150 meters long scrap sorting Conveyor belt system, 3 scrap grinders with washing equipment, 2 Hydraulic bundling machines, 2Bottle sorting machines, and two 125 KVA Generators and one 380 KVA Generator. There is a vehicle wash area of 2000 sq. ft. and a modern Effluent Treatment Plant with capacity to handle 4.5 lakhs liters per day for disinfecting all the effluents coming out during treatment of the waste. There are 64 Surveillance Cameras recording the activities within the plant, which is available for monitoring the plant activities, 24 hours a day. IMAGE has multiple rain water harvest systems including Micro-Watershed Based Rain Harvesting. There is a huge Green-belt surrounding the plant.
IMAGE is operated by about 500 staff working together for IMAGE, GJ Multiclav, Scrap dealers & Security agency.
Transportation of Biomedical Waste: Fifty-Three (53 Nos) GPS installed covered vehicles are arranged for collection of biomedical waste within 24 hours from the entire length& breadth of Kerala, which are specially designed as per the Biomedical Waste Management Rules and approved by the Pollution Control Board, which ply a total distance of 15,000 km per day. All these vehicles are monitored through GPS Satellite Monitoring using AVL View Software Application. The movements of waste collection vehicles are monitored through GPS system and the waste collection is monitored through the mobile application system. Barcode based biomedical waste management has been implemented by IMAGE to monitor each waste bag from the collection source till the scientific treatment at the plant.
Affiliation Details as on 30.09.2018:
1. Private Health Care Institutions: 11,969
2. Government Healthcare Institutions: 870
3. ESI & Other Healthcare Institutions: 30
4. Private Non-healthcare Institutions: 19
TOTAL No. of Institutions affiliated to IMAGE is 12,888
Visit www.imageima.org for details