The Central Pollution Control Board has issued a guideline to have dedicated vehicles and bi-layered collection bags for medical waste of corona patients or those suffering from symptoms.

The guideline is aimed at preventing the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Earlier this week, senior officials of the board had met operators of medical waste management facilities and decided on the course of action.

“Our association met senior officials of the board today and discussed the guideline. In addition to strictly adhering to the standard norms of collecting infectious biomedical waste from health-care units, certain additional precautions were finalised,” said Vinod Kacharia, the president of the Common Biomedical Waste Treatment Facility Association of India. The association has about 200 units across the country.

“We have prepared a guideline that will be circulated to all stakeholders soon,” said Prashant Gargava, the member secretary of the central board.

The guideline, a copy of which is with Metro, calls for a separate vehicle for collecting waste from isolation centres in hospitals where corona patients and suspected patients are being treated. It also calls for using bi-layered bags for collecting such waste to minimise chances of the waste spilling out because of an accidental leak.

Waste collectors have been advised to take all precautions, including wearing three-layered masks.