ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (Pak-EPA) has instructed the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) to ensure proper disposal of Covid-19 waste.

“Kits and gloves and other infectious waste generated by hospitals and quarantines should be double bagged and incinerated 100pc,” Director General Pak-EPA Farzana Altaf Shah told Dawn.

Farzana Altaf Shah said since there were no specific guidelines from the World Health Organization (WHO) with regard to disposal of medical waste generated during treatment, diagnosis and quarantine of (Covid-19) patients whether confirmed or suspected, but hospitals should be extra careful in their disposal.

Though most big hospitals in the capital city have been incinerating bio-medicalhospital waste, the fresh instructions were aimed at ensuring that the waste generated specifically during testing of people and treatment of covid-19 patients was disposed of in a scientific manner.

“Some of the hospitals are incinerating hazardous waste at 800 degrees centigrade to 900 degrees centigrade, which is insufficient and the temperatures should be much higher. All hazardous hospital waste must be destroyed at 1100 degrees centigrade,” the senior official said.

She gave the example of China where Covid-19 waste was destroyed in cement plant kilns, in extreme temperatures as a safe disposal method.

A patient generates between 2kg to 3kg waste every day.

While most big hospitals such Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) and Nescom to mention a few have their own incinerator facilities.

Other big and small health facilities including pathology labs use the incineration facility of National Cleaner Production Center (NCPC) in Rawalpindi.

Out of the 150 plus health facilities in the federal capital, some 93 comply with Pak-EPA guidelines on proper disposal of hazardous hospital waste.

Infectious medical waste contains potentially harmful microorganisms that can infect patients, hospital staff, and even the general public, which is why it is dangerous, she said.

Examples of infectious medical waste include body parts, blood and blood products, a patient’s bedding, or even a culture of an infectious agent.

Pak-EPA DG Farzana Altaf Shah also urged citizens to use the lockdownas an opportunity to generate less garbage and maintain cleanliness.

Published in Dawn, April 4th, 2020