Throughout the COVID-19 outbreak, many types of medical and hazardous waste have been generated, including infected masks, gloves and other protective equipment, together with a higher volume of non-infected items of the same nature. Unsound management of this waste could cause unforeseen “knock-on” effects on human health and the environment. The safe handling and final disposal of this waste is therefore a vital element in an effective emergency response.
“Our response is to support Member States in addressing immediate challenges from the medical emergency, such as strengthening waste management systems,” said United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Executive Director Inger Andersen.
UNEP is working with partners to mitigate the adverse impacts on global environment from the increase of waste produced in response to the crisis, through controlling releases of harmful chemicals in the atmosphere, land and water.
A series of seven factsheets, published by UNEP’s Chemicals & Waste unit, highlight some of the challenges and solutions around the management of COVID-19 waste:
1. Waste management
When not managed soundly, infected medical waste could be subject to uncontrolled dumping, leading to public health risks, and to open burning or uncontrolled incineration, leading to the release of toxins in the environment and to secondary transmission of diseases to humans. Other wastes can reach water sources and add to riverine and marine pollution. Wherever possible, countries should control COVID-19 waste by managing increased waste production by maximizing the use of existing facilities; ensuring the operations follow the emissions requirements and so avoid secondary health impacts; and in the absence of appropriate technology, adopting the 3S (sorting, segregation and storage) methodology and installing temporary/stop-gap solutions.
See: ggkp.org/COVID_waste_intro
2. National medical waste capacity assessment/inventory
Any response by countries needs to be based on maximizing the use of existing facilities. There is lack of sufficient data on medical waste amounts likely to be generated and on treatment infrastructure at national level, both of which are required for the government to develop strategies. Governments should also formulate a regulatory framework, support access to technology and build capacity for environmentally sound management of waste in the future. This process should involve engagement among all stakeholders.
See: ggkp.org/COVID_waste_nationalcapacity
3. Treatment options
Countries should select environmentally sound options for waste treatment using the UNEP Sustainability Assessment of Technologies (SAT), which covers the full chain of medical waste management, from simple technologies for source segregation and primary disposal, to complex technologies for destruction or recovery of materials.
See: ggkp.org/COVID_waste_technology
4. Legislation
Guidance on policy and legislation will help countries develop a stable legal and institutional basis to better respond to future waste emergencies such as the COVID-19, and to clarify measures to be taken. Countries should focus on different types of legal instruments, and monitoring, compliance and enforcement. UNEP’s Chemicals and Waste Management Programme helps countries develop or review national legislation about the collection and treatment of healthcare and household waste and on transboundary movement of hazardous waste.
See: ggkp.org/COVID_waste_legislation
5. Circularity for non-healthcare waste
Key opportunities to improve the circularity of household waste to respond to COVID-19 include: prioritizing collection, stockpile and recycling of the waste products; providing practical guidance to consumers on how to reduce the consumption of single-use products, while educating on sustainable solutions and on the best disposal approaches; and organizing awareness-raising activities to encourage more sustainable lifestyles, including the preference for reusable products.
See: ggkp.org/COVID_waste_circularity
6. Air quality
Immediate protection of air quality is needed through the promotion of environmentally sound practices to address the increased volume of waste streams as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. This includes: promoting control and prevention of air pollution through measures that are proven to be effective and equitable; banning open burning and investing in environmentally sound treatment of medical and other waste, and in improved waste management capacities, to in turn reduce emissions into air; and building on enhanced awareness and changes in behaviour which emerged during the pandemic (e.g. redesigning cities to prioritize walking and cycling, switching to zero-emissions vehicles and increasing reliance on telecommuting).
See: ggkp.org/COVID_waste_airquality
7. Household waste
Proper management of household medical waste will therefore become key to stop further spread of the COVID-19 virus and avoid putting others, including waste workers, at risk. Service providers should put in place specialized teams of trained workers that are provided with personal protective equipment. They should also play a role in helping to inform the public on how to handle household medical waste and promote segregation at the household level.
See: ggkp.org/COVID_waste_household
For more information, visit www.unep.org or contact Kevin Helps (Head, GEF Unit, Chemicals and Health Branch, UNEP) at [email protected].
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On 19 May 2020, the #GGKPwebinar, Sustainability After COVID-19: The waste management response brought together experts from the World Health Organization (WHO), Basel Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions, Health Care Without Harm, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) and United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to discuss critical questions around COVID-19 medical waste management. A full recording is available at: ggkp.org/COVID19_waste