COVID-19 Medical Waste Mounts: How Much Is There?

Medical waste related to handling Covid-19 is increasingly piling up on a global scale, threatening public health and environmental sustainability. This threat was revealed by the World Health Organization (WHO) in its latest report, titled *Global Analysis of Health Care Waste in the Context of COVID-19*.

According to WHO data, during the period from March 2020 to November 2021, there were approximately 1.5 billion units of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for Covid-19 handling worldwide. These PPEs had a total weight of 87,000 tons and are all assumed to be waste due to their single-use nature.

The WHO categorizes PPE waste into two categories. First, Essential PPE waste, consisting of medical masks and surgical gloves. The weight of this category of waste is estimated to have reached 49,000 tons, or 56% of the total global PPE waste.

Second, Non-Essential PPE waste, consisting of hair covers, face shields, gowns/coveralls, boot covers, medical aprons, and so on. The weight of this category of waste has reached 38,000 tons, or 44% of the total global PPE waste.

Both Essential and Non-Essential PPE waste are infectious and can easily transmit viruses, therefore requiring careful handling and management. Unfortunately, according to the WHO, approximately 30% of healthcare facilities globally lack the capacity and equipment for proper medical waste management. This can increase the risk of virus transmission among healthcare workers and the community living around hospitals, and worsen pollution in land, rivers, and seas.

To counter these threats, the WHO encourages the international community to increase investment in medical waste management, develop reusable and easily recyclable PPE products, and reduce unnecessary PPE consumption through safe and rational PPE usage systems.