SEPA issues guidelines for Covid-19 waste disposal

Waste is to be packed in two plastic bags knotted properly, carried to disposal sites

KARACHI:

The Sindh Environmental Protection Agency issued on Wednesday guidelines for healthcare facilities on the handling and disposal of Covid-19 patients' waste.

As per the instructions issued by SEPA, on the directives of the Sindh chief minister's adviser on environment Murtaza Wahab, the guidelines are to be adopted by facilities treating Covid-19 patients across the province.

The guidelines, issued under Section 6 of the Sindh Environmental Protection Act, 2014, state that facilities' owners and management will be responsible for ensuring the proper handling and disposal of the waste.

Waste collection, transfer and disposal

The waste is to be first shifted to a storage room at the facility from the place of production, before being transported to a waste disposal site, also located on the facility's premise. It may then either be treated at the facility's disposal site or be prepared for transportation to another location for treatment.

It is to be packed in at least two thick plastic bags tied properly, which in turn are to be put in hard containers labelled 'Covid-19', with each bag not weighing more than 10 kilogrammes.

All facilities are required to maintain a record of the number of bags disposed of, waste containers transported to disposal sites in dedicated vehicles, the number of trips made to waste disposal sites and the quantity of waste disposed of during each trip.

Besides, the guidelines state, the incinerators being employed for the purpose must comprise two chambers with suitable temperatures and ideally work on the mechanism of plasma gasification.

Disinfection

In addition, the guidelines outline the method for disinfecting the containers and vehicles used for carrying and storing the waste.

The inner and outer surfaces of the containers are to be disinfected at least three times a day, and vehicles after each trip.

Instructions for staff

The guidelines require each facility to constitute a dedicated team to collect and handle Covid-19 patients' waste. This staff, as well as those transporting and incinerating it, is to wear PPE and make use of appropriate gadgets.

Besides, staff handling and disposing of the waste are to be tested for the coronavirus every alternate day, while workers having cough, fever or any other illness are not to transport the waste and must use sanitisers before entering healthcare facilities, especially after transporting the waste to disposal sites.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 2^nd, 2020.