Hazardous plastic waste during pandemic

While health workers are desperately trying to treat Covid-19 and other critically ill patients in hospitals and the public is trying to maintain better hygiene, the fallout of the use of a huge amount of plastic waste generated during the last month or so is being overlooked. A study by the Environment and Social Development Organisation (ESDO) has found that around 14,500 tonnes of hazardous plastic waste has been produced from single use surgical face masks, gloves, hand sanitisers bottles and polythene bags in the first month of the shutdown.

It is true that items like gloves, protective gear, masks and hand sanitisers are all essential to combat the virus and prevent the spread of infection. But as they are single use products, they produce plastic waste that cannot be recycled. More importantly, the waste has to be disposed of in an organised, safe way so that they do not become the source of further spread of infections. The frightening fact is that this waste often ends up being dumped indiscriminately, as is the case of medical waste in general. The study researchers have pointed out that medical waste from hospitals and other healthcare organisations has to be collected, stored, transported, treated, and disposed of so that it does not cause further risks of infection. The extra plastic waste, moreover, will add to the already serious accumulation of plastic in the environment.

 The study has also pointed out how workers without protective gear involved in waste management are at risk of contracting the virus and spreading it in their communities. This paper has already reported on the lack of protective gear for those involved in waste disposal and management.

The state of medical waste disposal was appalling even before the pandemic, which makes the present task quite formidable. The need of the hour is to have a planned, coordinated and foolproof management of hospital waste, generated at this time especially. This means authorities of hospitals, clinics, diagnostic centres and other healthcare units have to be diligent in managing their waste, making sure they are properly treated and disposed of in separate containers. Households who may have symptomatic or asymptomatic carriers among its members must also practice safe waste disposal. City corporations and other government bodies have to equip their workers with protective gear such as gloves, face masks and PPE and make sure that the waste is dumped in designated areas after being treated to eliminate their toxicity. The government must start thinking of a modern medical waste management system that includes using safe transport vehicles that can be sterilised, training drivers and waste collectors and stopping the recycling of all waste completely during the pandemic. A tall order it may be, but absolutely essential to halt the spread of infections.