Covid-19 will go away, but tons of medical waste will remain

It was stated that the only harm from Covid-19 will not be limited to the death and illness of millions of people, but will also create serious problems for the environment and nature.

The World Health Organization (WHO) announced that materials such as protective suits, test kits, and vaccine syringes used in the fight against Covid-19 will cause tens of thousands of tons of new waste to the environment, which will complicate health waste management in the world.

WHO evaluated the share of materials to fight against Covid-19 in the increase of health waste.

In the statement made by the organization, it was noted that between March 2020 and November 2021, approximately 87 thousand tons of protective clothing were produced in the world and sent to countries within the scope of the fight against Covid-19, and since these clothes cannot be recycled, they will be added to the medical waste pile after being used.

8 billion doses of vaccine cap

In the statement, it was shared that more than 140 million test kits produced in the same time period will generate 731,000 liters of chemical liquid waste and 2,600 tons of plastic waste, and it was emphasized that the vaccine produced over 8 billion doses will leave more than 144,000 tons of waste together with the protective cap, syringe, and needle.

In the statement, it was underlined that 30 percent of health facilities in the world are insufficient to store even existing medical waste, let alone the medical waste pile caused by the materials needed to fight against Covid-19.

Apart from medical waste, the general waste pile caused by disposable masks was excluded from the statistics.

Eco-friendly dress recommendation

Dr. Michael Ryan, Director of the WHO Health Emergencies Programme, said, "Providing protective clothing for healthcare workers is vital, but it is also necessary to ensure that these materials are used without adversely affecting the environment."

Ryan emphasized that having strong waste management in hospitals and polyclinics will be important for the fight against environmental pollution.

WHO Environment, Climate Change, and Health Director Dr. Maria Neira said, "Covid-19 taught us that we need to take into account the gaps and omissions in waste management."

Neira emphasized that significant changes should be made at every stage in how the flow of health waste is managed globally. She noted the production of environmentally friendly protective clothing and face masks can minimize the waste crisis caused by Covid-19.