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In twelve states and Union Territories, common bio-medical waste treatment and disposal facilities (CBWTF) are being used exclusively for the treatment and disposal of biomedical waste, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) told the National Green Tribunal (NGT).
Captive treatment and deep burial methods are not being utilised in these regions, CPCB stated in a report on April 15, 2025. In the remaining 24 states and UTs, captive treatment facilities and deep burial methods are being used alongside CBWTFs.
According to the report, 82 healthcare facilities (HCF) operate captive incinerators, while 17,800 HCFs use deep burial for biomedical waste disposal. The report explained that deep burial involves placing biomedical waste in a pit or trench, which is then covered with soil and lime.
Under the Biomedical Waste Management (BMWM) Rules, 2016, certain categories of biomedical waste — such as human anatomical waste, animal anatomical waste and soiled waste — may be disposed of via deep burial in areas without access to CBWTFs.
Deep burial is permitted only in rural or remote areas and must be carried out with prior approval from the relevant state pollution control board (SPCB) or pollution control committee (PCC).
Out of the 17,800 HCFs using deep burial, 15,614 are located in remote areas and are compliant with the BMWM Rules, 2016, the report said.
The Kerala SPCB submitted that it is in the process of phasing out captive treatment facilities, including deep burial, in 29 HCFs. However, the process has been delayed due to legal challenges by the concerned HCFs.
The CPCB report recommended that deep burial be permitted strictly in rural or remote areas, in line with the standards prescribed under the BMWM Rules, 2016. It also urged SPCBs and PCCs to monitor and ensure compliance with the rules and to expedite the establishment of CBWTFs in remote areas where deep burial is still in use.
So far, the CPCB has not received any complaints or reports of environmental impact resulting from deep burial. However, the report cautioned that improper management of deep burial could lead to environmental pollution. Therefore, it reiterated that such disposal methods should only be permitted in accordance with the BMWM Rules, 2016.
Out of the 12 stone crushers and hot/wet mix plants inspected by a joint committee in the Poonch district of Jammu & Kashmir, four units were found non-operational at the time of site inspection, Jammu & Kashmir PCC told the NGT on April 22, 2025.
The remaining eight operational units were found to be in compliance with ambient air and noise quality standards, a J&K PCC report stated. The operational units had installed the requisite pollution control devices and implemented appropriate pollution control measures.
According to the joint committee, the source of raw material for these units is river bed material purchased from operational mining blocks. An exception is the General Reserve Engineer Force, which uses stones extracted or collected from ongoing civil works in nearby areas.
The NGT had directed authorities to assess the impact of noise and dust pollution around the premises of stone crushers and hot mix plants by monitoring ambient air and noise levels. It also ordered verification of raw material sources used by each unit over the past year and evaluation of the current status of pollution control devices and measures installed since the last inspection.