Bury or burn the masks
THE coronavirus has resulted in an exponential increase in single-use and reusable personal protective equipment (PPE) to curb the spread of the disease.
However, this has come with its fair share of challenges. Tied to the increased use of PPE such as face masks and gloves has been their improper disposal. Not only does this pose serious health hazards through aiding the transmission of the virus if they are contaminated, but it results in environmental waste. Used PPE are generally considered infectious or offensive, which means they have to be disposed properly.
A snap survey by The Sunday Mail Society in both rural and urban areas showed that PPE are being considered as common litter.
“PPE, which include face masks, gloves, plastic caps, among others, have become common litter in our neighbourhoods. We often see children playing with used masks and gloves . . . ” complained Alice Kuvheya, the director for Chitungwiza Residents Trust Association.
“Besides the general public that are randomly throwing the PPE everywhere, we are faced with the challenge that our local council is failing to routinely collect waste, citing fuel shortages. This is driving the situation out of hand.” Gweru-based Lorraine Shoko is equally worried.
“It is disturbing. At times you get extremely worried after seeing your child playing with these used PPE. We all need to be responsible when disposing these items,” she said.
Experts say the most effective way to destroy used PPE is through burning it as high temperatures destroy viruses. Burying them in pits is considered an effective option. Harare City Council health services director Dr Prosper Chonzi believes there is need to change current attitudes.
“PPE should not be disposed of everywhere like what is happening in some communities. This poses serious health risks for everyone. They are toxic and can be picked by children or even adults, who, in turn, wash them for resale, leading to the spread of communicable diseases such as Covid-19, influenza, tuberculosis, among others,” said Dr Chonzi.
PPE are regarded as medical waste and most of them are not biodegradable (capable of being decomposed by bacteria or other living organisms) since they are in plastic form.
Items like gloves and surgical masks, he added, pollute the environment and even block drainage systems, which can lead to flash flooding.
“We have medical waste such as syringes that are used when testing or treating patients and should be well disposed and burnt at high temperatures in incinerators to avoid re-infection,” said Dr Chonzi.
Some parts of the United States recently introduced new laws to help curb the improper disposal of PPE in light of the rampant littering of masks and gloves during the pandemic. Under the law, violators are slapped with a fine of not less than US$250, while the figure gets much higher for repeated offenders.
Similarly, the Environmental Management Agency (EMA) is calling on the nation to take time to reflect on waste management practices.
“Waste generation at household level is bound to increase during this period when the whole family is at home, hence the call to prioritise sorting of waste at household level to recover recyclable material and compost biodegradable material, and in the process reduce residual waste accumulating in the environment.
“All unwanted PPE should be disposed of in a way that does not pollute the environment. Communities need to be educated on how to separate litter for proper waste management. Waste that decomposes can be buried in pits and the non-biodegradable can be burnt,” advises EMA environmental education and publicity manager Amkela Sidange.
“Masks and gloves are increasingly becoming common street trash and qualify into the classification of hazardous waste. This is an additional complexity to the management of the Covid-19 as it poses a risk to waste pickers,” she said.
EMA is presently on a drive to advocate for proper disposal of PPE at household level, medical institutions, roadblocks, toll gates, ports of entry, supermarkets, open markets, isolation and quarantine centres.
“Poor waste management will lead to the recurrence of Covid-19 infections and can lead to climate change because some toxic substances end up polluting the atmosphere, affecting the ozone layer, leading to high temperatures, cyclones, hurricanes, frost, among others.
“Gloves, masks, diapers should not be thrown into the streets but must be washed with soap or sanitised, cut into pieces and placed into trash to keep away from children,” adds Mr Rogman Muchengapadare, the co-ordinator for National Action on Used Diapers (NAPUD).