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Bio-Medical Waste Guidelines
Segregation, collection & disposal — the colour-coded system
Under the Bio-Medical Waste Management Rules, 2016, waste must be segregated at the point of generation into four colour-coded categories. Correct segregation by healthcare staff is the single most important step — it decides the safe treatment route for every item.
| Colour Code | What Goes In | How It Is Treated & Disposed |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow | Human & animal anatomical waste, soiled waste, expired or discarded medicines, chemical & laboratory waste, contaminated linen. | Incineration in engineered incinerators with air pollution control; ash sent to an authorised TSDF. |
| Red | Contaminated recyclable plastic — tubing, bottles, IV sets, catheters, urine bags, syringes (without needles) and gloves. | Disinfection / autoclaving, then shredding; handed over to authorised recyclers registered with the TNPCB. |
| White (Translucent) | Waste sharps — needles, syringes with fixed needles, scalpels, blades and any contaminated sharp object. | Disinfection / autoclaving, shredding and encapsulation in a sharp pit; metal sent to authorised recyclers. |
| Blue | Broken or discarded contaminated glass, medicine vials and ampoules; metallic body implants. | Disinfection / autoclaving, then handed over to authorised recyclers. |
Our three-step process
Segregate at Source
Healthcare staff separate waste into the correct colour-coded bags and containers at the point of generation — never mixing categories.
Collect Daily
Our GPS-tracked vehicles collect from every member facility at least once a day, with a manual log book maintained at both ends.
Treat & Dispose Safely
Each category is routed to its correct treatment — incineration, autoclaving/shredding or recycling — with residues sent only to authorised TSDFs and recyclers.