A $40 million pilot project will now manage India's medical waste. The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and Ministry of Environment and Forests will work together to implement the project.

UNIDO Director-General Kandeh K. Yumkella said, "India has taken a prime position in medicine and health care. It can now show the world the quality of its health system by putting in place a unique disposal mechanism."

States that would be benefited by this project are Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Orissa and Punjab. The National implementation body is M. S. Ramaiah Medical College (Bangalore).

In every state eight medium sized and 16 small hospitals would be benefited. In India over 3, 00,000 tonnes of medical waste is generated yearly. The project will help in reducing persistent organic pollutants.

Yumkella said while inviting private sector to participate, "To achieve an eco-friendly disposal of bio-waste, we not only need to train people to be conscious of quality, but we also need the participation of the private sector."