GASPRO International Journal of Eminent Scholars

ABSTRACT
The recent COVID-19 pandemic has distorted the way solid medical waste is
generated and disposed of globally. While waste from large healthcare facilities may
be subjected to recommended safety measures to lessen risks to human health and
the environment, the same cannot be said about facilities in rural areas where waste
ends up in landfills and open dumps. Studies have proven that precarious hygienic
and sanitary conditions are directly related to the propagation of the novel
coronavirus. The unanticipated disparities in waste composition and quantity
experienced during this pandemic have posed a lot of environmental as well as
health challenges within our communities. Along with the hazardous waste volume,
single-use plastic items and personal protective equipment (PPEs) have induced a
new type of pollution in the land and aquatic environment. This study therefore aims
to bring to light the challenges surrounding solid medical waste disposal and the
underlying opportunities that can be exploited to satiate current loopholes in the
system. It was concluded that outsourcing healthcare waste management to thirdparty specialists will result in poverty reduction and job creation, in addition to its
primary role of containing hazardous medical waste. The study also suggests some
key recommendations to policymakers, which include enforcement of medical waste
management regulations as well as training in medical waste management to help
properly handle waste in a probable future pandemic.
KEYWORDS: Covid-19, Waste management, Hospital waste, Solid medical
waste, Plastic waste