Which of the following methods is generally not adopted for the safe disposal of biomedical waste?

Correct option is C

Introduction
· Biomedical waste comprises any waste generated during the diagnosis, treatment, or immunization of human beings or animals, which may pose a threat to public health and the environment.
· Systematic management involves segregation at the source, color-coded collection, transportation, and specialized treatment to neutralize pathogens.
· The regulatory framework ensures that hazardous biological materials are transformed into non-infectious forms before reaching their final resting place.

Information Booster
· Landfilling is the correct answer as it is generally prohibited for untreated biomedical waste due to the high risk of environmental leaching and pathogen spread into the soil and groundwater.
· It is a method primarily designed for municipal solid waste or stabilized, non-infectious residues like incineration ash, rather than active biological hazards.
· Standard landfilling lacks the sterilization step required to eliminate the "infectious" status of medical waste, making it an unsafe primary disposal route.
· Secured landfilling is only used for the final disposal of incineration ash or specific chemical wastes that have been pre-treated to prevent any form of hazardous seepage.
· Global standards and national rules strictly dictate that infectious materials must undergo thermal or chemical treatment rather than direct burial.

Additional Knowledge
· Incineration involves high-temperature dry oxidation where organic and combustible waste is converted into inorganic, incombustible ash and gas, significantly reducing the waste volume and completely destroying pathogens and cytotoxic drugs.
· Hydroclaving is an advanced steam sterilization process that uses a rotating internal mechanism to fragment the waste while applying high-pressure steam, ensuring that even the internal parts of medical equipment are fully sterilized and reduced in bulk.
· Shredding after disinfection is a mandatory physical process for wastes like plastics and needles to ensure they are rendered unrecognizable and unusable, thereby preventing the illegal and dangerous practice of recycling contaminated medical supplies into the market.
· Deep burial is an exception sometimes allowed in rural or remote areas with no access to common treatment facilities, but it requires a specifically designed pit lined with clay or lime to minimize environmental contact.