Delhi set to get two new biomedical waste treatment plants; DPCC told to initiate work

At present, there are only two half-acre plants that together process about 40 tonnes of biomedical waste in a day from nearly 10,000 healthcare institutions, as per the Environment Minister

By: Express News Service

New Delhi | August 31, 2025 05:35 AM IST

According to an official statement issued by the minister’s office, DPCC has been asked to conduct a feasibility study for fast-tracking site selection (File Photo)

Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa on Saturday directed the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) to initiate work on two new biomedical waste (BMW) treatment plants in the Capital.

According to an official statement issued by the minister’s office, DPCC has been asked to conduct a feasibility study for fast-tracking site selection, technology evaluation and capacity planning. At present, there are only two half-acre plants that together process about 40 tonnes of biomedical waste in a day from nearly 10,000 healthcare institutions, the statement said.

“Biomedical waste piles pose a great threat to public health and air quality if left untreated. Our current two half-acre units cannot be expected to shoulder the entire city’s 40 MT daily load,” the statement quoted Sirsa as saying.

He added that neighbouring Haryana, with a population of 3.16 crore, runs 11 BMW plants, while Delhi has just two. “Additional plants were long due; Delhi is bridging legacy gaps with inventive solutions for a cleaner, healthier city,” Sirsa said.

Officials said Delhi’s population of over three crore and its healthcare network already outstrip its existing BMW capacity.

According to the statement, “DPCC’s study will assess land availability, transport logistics, technology options and environmental safeguards to ensure optimum, future-proof operations. Simultaneously, the Health Department and DPCC have been asked to submit daily status briefs covering waste generation, transport scheduling and plant utilisation.”

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