Before the Covid-19 pandemic, the world was already battling plastic pollution and the reckless dumping of waste.
The United Nations declared plastic pollution a global crisis two years ago and the waste burden is likely to grow amid the rapid rise in the use of Covid-19-related personal protective equipment (PPE), much of which is disposable.
“While it is widely reported that lockdown has led to cleaner air and water and a reduction in resource consumption and pollution overall, the Covid-19 pandemic has necessitated an upsurge in the use and manufacture of PPE for citizens to comply with new regulations, patients and healthcare workers alike,” says waste management company Averda sustainability head Brindha Roberts.
“The public and business need to know that plastic PPE cannot be disposed of alongside normal plastic items which we would recycle,” she adds.
Nonwoven masks, gloves, aprons and gowns are all examples of PPE that is used only once, after which it is discarded as a measure to protect against the spread of infection and diseases.
These need to be handled as infectious waste and, if not disposed of with care, pose a contamination risk to people handling the waste or to waste pickers that live off landfills and dumps.
Roberts advises that all items, from PPE to used tissues, be double-bagged before being thrown away, keeping them separate from recyclable waste.
Businesses are also encouraged to seek guidance from professional waste management service providers, especially those which supply medical waste bins. These companies collect and dispose of the waste safely when the bins are full.
“We have identified the hazards this waste stream poses to the health and safety of our employees and address the risk by consistently reviewing and adjusting our processes as we learn more about Covid-19,” Roberts says.
Another important consideration, she adds, is to look at the different options that are available for dealing with PPE waste and which of these options are least harmful and the circumstances involved, such as incineration or treatment before disposal.
“It is about the balance between health and safety and environmental concerns created by this waste stream.”
Roberts explains that, in South Africa, plastic PPE could be recycled but would need to first be disinfected. This can be achieved through an electrothermal deactivation process – once this is completed, recyclable materials could be returned to the economy instead of being lost to hazardous landfill sites.
South Africa is fortunate in that it has not yet seen the large volumes of plastic medical waste in public spaces seen on beaches in Europe.