NEW DELHI: Updating its previous guidelines to deal with biomedical waste, the central pollution control board ( CPCB ) has come out with its revised version for handling and disposal of waste generated during treatment, diagnostic and quarantine of Covid-19 patients in the country. It pitched for providing personal protective equipment (PPE) to all workers who are engaged in disposing of such waste and asked states to use ‘deep burial pits’ to dispose of waste if they don’t have a common biomedical waste treatment facility (CBWTF).These detailed guidelines, sent to all states and health, environment and urban affairs ministries on Sunday, are based on current knowledge on the novel coronavirus and existing practices in management of infectious waste generated while treating viral and contagious diseases like HIV and H1N1.India’s national pollution watchdog in its guidelines listed responsibilities of persons operating sewage treatment plants (STPs) at healthcare facilities, steps to deal with general waste from quarantine homes and isolation wards and roles of urban local bodies which they are supposed to play in addition to existing practices under the Bio-Medical Waste Management Rules, 2016. The CPCB had brought its first guidelines on the subject in March.Besides asking different bodies to make provisions of segregation of waste using colour-coded bins, bags and containers, the CPCB in its revised guidelines advised them to even treat the faeces from Covid-19 confirmed patient, who is unable to use toilets and if excreta is collected in diapers, as biomedical waste."However, if a bedpan is used, then faeces to be washed into the toilet and cleaned with a neutral detergent and water, disinfected with a 0.5% chlorine solution, then rinsed with clean water," it said.The guidelines have specific provisions on how to collect and dispose of used PPE and N95 masks.The CPCB also asked health departments of all states to provide workers of the common biomedical waste treatment facility (CBWTF) adequate PPE including three layer masks, splash proof gowns, nitrile gloves, gum boots and safety goggles."These PPE are required to be worn all the time while collecting waste from a quarantine centre/homes or waste deposition centre", it said.It also said in case states do not have CBWTF, the Covid-19 waste should be disposed of in "deep burial pits".