THE use of personal protective equipment (PPE), including masks, gloves, goggles and gowns, has become widespread among both the public and health professionals since the outbreak of coronavirus. However, improper disposal of used PPE, mostly by the former, and low-quality PPE is endangering both lives and the environment. Despite being provided with PPE, many medical staff and law enforcers have been infected with Covid-19 in Bangladesh. Used PPE is generally labelled as infectious or offensive, which means disposal needs to prevent the transmission of disease to the wider population. The most effective way to do that is to burn it as high temperatures destroy viruses. Most dangerously, the discarded PPE has posed serious health hazards and can spread the contagion among cleaners and walkers.
A recent study showed that around 14,500 tons of hazardous plastic waste was generated from the disposal of single-use surgical face masks, hand gloves, and polythene bags in communities, hospitals, and other health care facilities in a month in the country. The PPE, used by the medical staffs is highly contagious and should be burnt properly, otherwise, will create a biohazard as well as have a negative impact on the environment. Covid-19 hospital authorities said that used PPE is stored in a double-layer polythene bag and stored in a specified dustbin. At the end of the day, the dustbins are sealed and burned. The process was not fool-proof, especially with the involvement of outsiders and visitors. In comparison with hospitals under Dhaka North City Corporation, hospitals under Dhaka South City Corporation are yet to get proper support from the municipality waste management.
In this regard, we may recall that Italy has introduced extra safe procedures for its PPE destruction. Waste is sealed in multiple containers, stored away from others in the hospital and moved via dedicated corridors and elevators. In China’s Wuhan, a new medical waste plant and 46 mobile treatment facilities were constructed to deal with the excess. In Bangladesh, PPE has to be disposed of properly and as soon as possible, to mitigate the risk of infection for people involved in waste management. The city authorities must enhance their capacity to deal with biohazard waste.
