BMC to collect contaminated, special care waste from May 1

Mumbai: The BMC will launch a free collection service for domestic sanitary and special care waste. This service will cater to the collection of sanitary and personal use items of citizens, such as used sanitary pads, diapers, expired medicines, and bandages or cotton contaminated with various body fluids like urine, blood, saliva, pus, and faeces. Housing societies, residential complexes, beauty salons, women's hostels, and educational institutions, among others, will be able to avail themselves of this service. The establishments will have to register for the collection service, and the registration process is being implemented from Tuesday.
According to BMC, expired medicines, injections, needles, razor blades, tampons, condoms, and waste generated in beauty parlours are often disposed of with general household waste. BMC's Solid Waste Management department is starting the collection service from May 1. Yellow bags will be used to collect sanitary and special care waste.
BMC deputy municipal commissioner (Solid Waste Management) Kiran Dighavkar said that currently, about 7 to 8 thousand tonnes of solid waste is generated in Mumbai every day. Of this, 70 to 80 tonnes of waste is related to personal hygiene (Sanitary Waste).
While the civic body will start the ‘Domestic Sanitary and Special Care Waste Collection' service from May 1, to create awareness among the citizens in this regard and ensure their participation, the BMC has started the registration process from April 22. Those wanting to register will have to use a link set up by the BMC. The BMC is also sending QR codes for registeration through WhatsApp and other means.