New York, Feb 11 (DPA) The UN Industrial Development Organization Thursday launched a $40-million pilot project to assist India dispose 300,000 tonnes of annual medical waste.

Kandeh Yumkella, director of the UN agency that promotes industrial development for poverty reduction and environmental sustainability, said the five-year programme will be implemented in Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Orissa and Punjab states.

'Every year, over 300,000 tons of medical waste is generated in India,' Yumkella said. 'UNIDO's environmentally friendly project will help effectively manage and dispose of hazardous medical waste.'

UNIDO said Bangalore's MS Ramaiah Medical College will lead the waste disposal project, which will involve large, medium and small hospitals in the five mentioned states.

'To achieve an eco-friendly disposal of bio-waste, we not only need to train people to be conscious of quality, we also need the participation of the private sector,' Yumkella said. 'In Western countries, private businesses often deal with the disposal of bio- medical waste, which allows hospitals to focus on medical issues.'

UNIDO said the project will help reduce persistent organic pollutants (POPs), especially dioxins and furans that are generated when bio-medical waste is not incinerated at the prescribed high temperatures of over 1,000 degrees Celsius.