Covid medical waste must be dealt with responsibly

As the world is fighting to contain the spread of the coronavirus, the global pandemic is generating dangerous biomedical waste that requires special handling and treatment. The WHO has come out with specific guidelines on how to treat the waste to avoid further contamination.

Following these guidelines, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has come out with specific guidelines “for handling, treatment and safe disposal of biomedical waste generated during treatment, diagnosis and quarantine of patients confirmed or suspected to have the novel corona virus disease”.

The guidelines need to be followed by isolation wards, quarantine centres, sample collection centres, laboratories, urban local bodies and the Central Biomedical Waste Treatment Facilities (CBWTFs). The waste generated is burnt at high temperatures in the treatment plants.

Guidelines in place

Biomedical waste is any waste generated during the diagnosis, treatment, immunisation of human beings, human tissues, items contaminated with blood, body fluids like dressings, beddings, syringes or any other contaminated sharp objects.

India already has the Biomedical Waste Management Rules, 2016; the CPCB issued specific guidelines to ensure segregation of Covid-19 waste to be disposed off in scientific manner.

In addition to this, the waste should be properly secured in double-layered yellow leakproof bags, and labelled as waste generated from Covid-19 for clear identification. The storage bins, trolleys and vehicles transporting this waste should be disinfected regularly.

Though this is a proactive initiative by the CPCB, the ground realities and the meagre existence of CBWTFs across India poses a big challenge as how the country treats the contagious waste generated during the pandemic. With a weak health infrastructure, it is utopian to expect an efficient and effective waste disposal mechanism.

The shortage of CBMWTFs was made obvious when a Parliamentary report stated that there are around 200 facilities in operation, which is inadequate to tackle the health facilities of 750 districts in the country. This leads to greater risk in terms of unscientific disposal of the waste. Where these facilities are lacking, the authorities have to deposit the waste in deep pits specifically dug for the treatment of Covid waste.

Alarmed by this dismal scenario, the National Green Tribunal held a virtual hearing and requested the authorities concerned to address the gaps in disposal of the biomedical waste generated due to the pandemic and follow the rules laid down by the government.

Unprotected workers

The guidelines suggest that those handling such wastes need to be provided with adequate training and PPE (personal protective equipment), including three-layered masks, splash-proof aprons, gloves, gumboots and safety goggles.

Unfortunately, most of the people engaged in waste disposal are contract labourers and do not get this preventive gear, which is already in short supply. This puts the disposal staff at grave risk of contamination. Similarly, municipal workers and rag-pickers are at risk as the household waste may also be contaminated, as people under house quarantine are bound to dispose such waste as part of garbage.

The indiscriminate disposal of face masks, tissue papers and used sanitizer bottles can be potential sources of infection among municipal workers. They should be trained and provided with safety kit to handle the household waste during the pandemic to assist in halting the chain of transmission.

India generates about 600 tonnes of biomedical waste everyday, of which only 90 per cent is treated. With Covid waste being generated at a faster pace and high volume, it is more challenging to see that it is disposed without causing additional health problems.

It is estimated that on an average, 2 tonnes of Covid waste is generated in each State from diagnoses, quarantine and treatment of the disease. This is too low compared to the 240 tonnes of waste generated every day in Wuhan, the epicentre of pandemic. China has installed mobile biomedical treatment plants to manage with the waste in a time-bound manner. India needs to adopt this strategy to address the shortage of CBWTFs.

It is a herculean task to educate the masses about segregation of waste in India, where indiscriminate disposal is the norm.

Community awareness is the only way forward towards responsible waste management and containment of the virus. People should be made aware that the virus is active for three days or 72 hours. The waste generated should be kept separately in airtight containers and handed over to biomedical disposal staff for final treatment.

The responsibility rests not only with the hospitals and local bodies, but also the community, which needs to take keen interest in handling the waste so that it helps in breaking the chain of spreading the virus.

The writer is a Sirsi-based environmentalist, promoting sustainable farming

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