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Thupeyo Muleya, Beitbridge Bureau
THE Environmental Management Agency (EMA) has come up with guidelines to regulate the disposal of single-use Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
PPE is essential in the fight against Covid-19. Masks and gloves are fast becoming common street trash in most areas.
According to EMA, PPE has been classified as hazardous waste and can no longer be treated as normal garbage.
The authority’s manager responsible for environment and education, Ms Amkela Sidange yesterday said the new waste management guidelines had been adopted by the Ministry of Health and Child Care.
She said the guidelines apply at medical institutions, households, road blocks, ports of entry, supermarkets, open vegetable markets, isolation and quarantine centres, among others.
“The Covid-19 pandemic led to the emergence of a new waste stream at household level in the form of face masks and gloves. As such the agency is seized with the management of this hazardous waste across the country,” said Ms Sidange.
“This is something which previously was associated with medical institutions hence we have drafted waste management guidelines of this new waste stream. We then shared it with the Ministry of Health and Child Care who have since approved and adopted the document for use across the country.
“It is our hope that this will be very useful as we seek to maintain a clean and safe environment. The face mask is one of the major PPEs that is not being properly disposed considering that most are used once before being discarded.”
She said the proper disposal of PPE is critical to avoid the spread of the virus.
“Under the new order, all health care waste produced during the care of Covid-19 patients should be collected safely in designated containers and bags, treated, and then safely disposed of or treated, or both, preferably onsite,” she said.
“At ports of entry, road blocks, retail outlets and open markets, authorities should provide labelled bins and red bin liners specifically for used masks and gloves at strategic and accessible places. In some instances, it would be prudent to use pedal-operated waste bins or bins with swinging lids are recommended.”
Ms Sidange said at household level, people should wash used face masks and gloves with soap under running water for 20 seconds or alternatively sanitise the used gloves and face masks.
After that, they must cut the washed or sanitised face masks and gloves into pieces using a scissors to avoid reuse or recycling. The pieces must be placed in a plastic bag pending collection of the refuse.
Online Reporter