PPE waste is a contamination risk to others, warns experts
The public and businesses need to know that plastic PPE cannot be disposed of alongside normal recyclable plastic items.
COVID-19 arrived in a world that was already battling plastic pollution and reckless dumping of waste.
The UN declared ‘plastic pollution’ a global crisis two years ago which brings an added element towards safely and responsibly when dealing with Covid-19-related PPE waste.
“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,” said Brindha Roberts, head of sustainability at waste management company Averda.
“The public and businesses need to know that plastic PPE cannot be disposed of alongside with normal plastic items which we would recycle,” Roberts added.
Non-woven masks, gloves, aprons, and gowns are all examples of equipment which are normally single-use and thereafter 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 others who are either handling the waste or waste pickers that live off our landfills and dumps.
Until a vaccine is developed, PPE, social-distancing and frequent hand hygiene remains our best shield against the spread of Covid-19.
Roberts advises that all items from PPE to used tissues be doubled bagged before throwing them away, keeping them separate from recyclable waste.
ALSO READ: Minister does not own a PPE manufacturing company, says health department
Another important consideration, she added, is to look at the different options that are available for dealing with PPE waste and which of these options are least harmful and under which circumstances, 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 via the Electro Thermal 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 that it has not yet seen the large volumes of plastic medical waste in public spaces, such as was seen on beaches in Europe.
This is mostly because South Africans have tended to use reusable cloth masks as opposed to single use plastic options.
“That does not mean we should not take care in how we dispose of our PPE waste or become complacent,” warned Roberts. “The Covid-19 pandemic is by far the direst crisis in living memory. The consequences on the environment for generations to come should not be overlooked. The health of people and planet are intrinsically connected,” she concluded.
Caxton Local Media Covid-19 reporting
Dear reader,
As your local news provider, we have the duty of keeping you factually informed on Covid-19 developments. As you may have noticed, mis- and disinformation (also known as “fake news”) is circulating online. Caxton Local Media is determined to filter through the masses of information doing the rounds and to separate truth from untruth in order to keep you adequately informed. Local newsrooms follow a strict pre-publication fact-checking protocol. A national task team has been established to assist in bringing you credible news reports on Covid-19.
Readers with any comments or queries may contact National Group Editor Irma Green (irma@caxton.co.za) or Legal Adviser Helene Eloff (helene@caxton.co.za).
At the time of going to press, the contents of this feature mirrored South Africa’s lockdown regulations.
Do you want to receive news alerts via Telegram? Send us a message (not an sms) with your name and surname to 060 532 5535.
You can also join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
PLEASE NOTE: If you have signed up for our news alerts you need to save the Berea Mail Telegram number as a contact to your phone, otherwise you will not receive our alerts
Here’s where you can download Telegram on Android or Apple.
