2020-11-25 10:40 Share:  Facebook Instagram

Experts warn: improperly managed pandemic waste is becoming a bomb for the future

Experts warn: improperly managed pandemic waste is becoming a bomb for the future

With the coronavirus pandemic taking over the world, disposable face masks, gloves, and disinfectant packs have become an integral part of the new everyday life. And if when leaving the house earlier, many often checked whether they took the keys, phone, wallet with them, today they are in a hurry to put on a mask first. Prevention to protect against coronavirus infection is certainly important, but with the second wave of COVID-19, a silent but no less threatening enemy – pandemic contamination, from which the vaccine will not be invented, is emerging.

According to Vitoldas Sapožnikovas, the Director of Žalvaris, the hazardous and non-hazardous waste management facility, the extent of pollution increases with the spread of the virus. By immersing ourselves in the worries about coronavirus, we are postponing pollution and environmental problems for the future, without thinking that improper waste management, or worse, not managing this waste, will only exacerbate the situation. By not knowing how safely to dispose of potentially virus-infected waste, we run the risk of continuing to spread the threatening disease, putting our health at even greater risk and harming the environment.

"Currently, the whole world is focused on pandemic management, but the environmental problems of slow damage are on the margins. The environment suffocates in COVID-19 waste – huge amounts of masks, gloves, many plastic containers of disinfectant, face shields, disposable clothing are thrown away. It is obvious that the problem is global and is becoming long-lasting around the world, and if it is not commenced to solve now, it will become another global environmental challenge of the future," V. Sapožnikovas is convinced.

Infected waste is a vigilant enemy

According to the Director of Žalvaris, improperly managed disposable personal protective equipment not only increases pollution, but also poses an additional risk of contracting a dangerous virus.

"Although it has not been proven that used masks or respirators fluttering in the wind can transmit the infection, this has not been objected. Therefore, if a mask or respirator was worn by a person infected with the virus and he simply threw the face shield in the trash in a public place, there is a risk that the virus could be transmitted and spread from it to both people and animals," he said.

V. Sapožnikovas points out that there are special requirements for the management of infected waste, such waste must be safely collected, stored and eventually incinerated. Under no circumstances should this waste end up in landfills. In Lithuania, only two facilities are entitled to manage medical waste, which also includes infected personal protective equipment.

How properly to dispose of used masks?

According to the recommendations of the World Health Organization, masks, respirators and other personal protective equipment used in contact with the virus must be disposed of in such a way as to prevent the secondary spread of the virus in the environment. It is recommended that a used mask or respirator be tightly "packed" in a double plastic bag and only disposed of in a household waste container as waste.

Everyone can dispose of personal protective equipment safely at home – we should encourage each other to do so and avoid getting rid of this waste in public places. It is obvious that the safe utilization of used personal protective equipment triples the amount of plastic consumed, but improper handling and disposal of this waste in public places causes that it "fly" in the air, fall on streets, meadows and parks, enter water bodies.

"Neither in Lithuania nor in other countries are there any special containers or tanks for used personal protective equipment, where it can be safely disposed of and collected. The pandemic will not end tomorrow, so we had to think about it nationwide yesterday, whereas only then it can be ensured that the people who handle this waste will be safe in the course of their work, and we will no longer see "flying" face masks or rubber gloves near supermarkets and at city streets. Without doing anything and looking for solutions now, only when the pandemic recedes, we will see the true scale of the problem – we will simply have another ecological catastrophe, the consequences of which will have to be dealt with for decades," V. Sapožnikovas said.

The use of masks is obligatory both in Lithuania and in many other countries of the world, it is recommended to change disposable measures every few hours. One person can use at least several of these measures per day, which makes it very difficult to calculate the actual emissions of masks, gloves and disinfectant packages – they are likely to be huge and reach thousands of tons worldwide per day.

Lack of the government attention

According to the Director of Žalvaris, every time when we get rid of a used or unnecessary thing, we have to pay attention to where it will lie and what will be done with it. The head of Žalvaris encourages to use responsibly – whenever possible, to choose reusable packaging, to sort waste properly, which can be recycled later.

He is convinced that with the growing discussions on the consequences of the pandemic, it is possible to draw up a concrete plan of effective action together with the state authorities. Successful waste management projects have been implemented in Lithuania, such as the reverse vending machine system, therefore, according to V. Sapožnikovas, it is very important not to delay and leave aside the environmental problems caused by coronavirus by developing a safe collection system of this waste, using information-educational material, raising public awareness about hazardous pandemic waste management, the problem can be stopped in time.

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