COVID-19 Medical Waste: A Pollution Nightmare

Medical waste is a kind of waste that contains infectious material. This definition includes waste generated by healthcare facilities like hospitals, laboratories and clinics.

As the coronavirus pandemic is surging across the World, authorities are advising people to take preventive measures such as wearing face mask, washing hands, social distancing etc. Though Wearing face mask is uncomfortable but it is especially important as concern grows that coronavirus is airborne.

But the mask that is supposed to protect people from infection, is actually contributing to another epidemic. The number of masks, gloves, PPE discarded in public space is contributing towards plastic pollution. A large number of COVID-19 medical wastes are finding its way towards the World's oceans.

Entire world is struggling to deal with the spread of another medical problem created by the coronavirus — a deluge of contaminated waste. In France, medical waste has almost doubled after COVID. Today, hospitals are considering ways to re-use essential medical items as an alternative to incineration. Also France has put up big fines for littering by face masks from €68 to €135.

Asian Development Bank estimated that Manila generates an additional 280 tonnes a day of medical trash, while in Jakarta, its 212 tonnes. According to the Thailand Environment Institute, about 50 tonnes of infectious waste are piling up each day in Thailand's Medical Centre. It has the capacity to incinerate 43 tonnes effectively.

Delhi, the capital of India has two Common bio-medical waste treatment facilities (CBWTFs), one is SMS Water Grace BMW Private Limited and other is Biotic Waste Solutions Private Limited. These facilities have a capacity to incinerate about 46 tonnes per day and are grappling with increased load due to COVID-19 pandemic.

The existing policy of burning hazardous medical waste in bulk creates enormous pollution. One company in Belgium has developed technology to decontaminate the waste and transform it into material that can be recycled. Also AMB Ecsteryl's latest innovation enables disposable masks to be treated using dry heat and making them reusable up to four times. Many other organisations are also trying to find the ways to minimize the medical waste pollution.

Now, the time has come to take necessary steps, to encourage people for reusable masks, gloves and PPE. This can help to reduce the medical waste.

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Source: www.france24.com, https://news.abplive.com