Coronavirus (COVID19) has been a major disruption in every aspect of our lives. From schools and colleges shutting down to people panicking buying in bulk, chaos and confusion prevail in these uncertain times. But another significant sector that is generally not considered so, i.e. solid waste management has also been impacted. And its effects may be calamitous.
The solid waste management industry has been key to ensuring cleanliness and hygiene. Today it faces a new challenge. Coronavirus has generated tonnes of medical waste as well as solid waste both inside and outside of hospitals including needles, masks and infected tissues that need to be responsibly disposed of. And since the virus is thought to spread via respiratory droplets, there is also an added threat of infectious solid or water waste. And if not properly handled, it may aid in spreading the pandemic faster than it already is.
Discarded face masks are piling up on the beaches posing great dangers to marine life and increasing the chances of infection. Masks have been discarded carelessly around the world which is not only detrimental to the environment but also a health hazard. With the flow of this medical waste along with marine trash, health specialists are worried about a new medium for the influx of germs. thereby proper solid waste management, as well as biomedical waste management, is the need of the hour.
Many of the big names in solid waste management such as Stericycle and Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA) have already released detailed operational plans with multiple precautionary measures including sick leave for employees, travel advisories and procedures for the package of wastes. The onus has now been shifted to generators who are responsible for safely packing all waste before handing it over to drivers and the possibility of denial of service if procedures aren’t followed.
However, experts believe that this is not enough and policymakers and stakeholders must draft formal guidelines at the earliest to ensure that both municipal and medical waste is disposed of in a responsible and safe manner before it’s too late.
Also read – Biomedical Waste management Crisis in COVID-19
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