Pollution boards differ on waste collection of quarantined homes

The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has clarified that waste generated from Covid-19 quarantine camps, homes and other self-isolation units need not be collected

The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has clarified that waste generated from Covid-19 quarantine camps, homes and other self-isolation units need not be collected under the new Covid-19 waste rules and can be treated as general biomedical waste.

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The Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB), however, said this may not be a safe practice.

The revised guidelines were published on March 25 and the document was made available on CPCB website on Friday. The rules were issued following confusion among urban local bodies (ULBs) on appropriate precautionary measures required to handle waste associated with suspected coronavirus patients amid fear that the waste may be a likely source of community transmission.

“Suspected patients may have particular medical conditions, but they may not test positive for Sars-CoV-2 virus. As per information, patients who tested positive for Covid-19 will not be treated at quarantine camps, and only at hospitals where the new rules are in place. Thus, waste from self-isolation homes or quarantine centres will be treated as ‘domestic hazardous waste’, and collected as per the general biomedical waste guidelines under Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016,” said a senior CPCB official.

MPCB, however, said, “Unless it is confirmed that the suspected patient is negative, collecting waste from such quarantine centre still poses a threat. People handling this waste are unaware whether it is infected or not. In such circumstances, we need to be very careful and treat all in isolation as infected to cut off transmission,” said Amar Supate, principal scientific officer and head of bio-medical waste management, MPCB. “This problem may be faced by smaller ULBs but not here. We are strictly following new guidelines.”

On March 19, HT reported that CPCB and MPCB both issued fresh guidelines regarding handling Covid-19 waste from healthcare establishments, collection centres, laboratories etc. Broad guidelines included separate collection of Covid-19 waste, using a unique colour for collection bags, separate vehicle for transporting the waste, and disposing it first (before any other waste). Biomedical waste from quarantine camps and home-care comprises used syringes, medicines, used masks, gloves, urine bags, body fluid or blood soaked tissues or cotton etc.

“To avoid any confusion, we have directed ULBs to collect waste from quarantine centres in yellow bags so that disposal or treatment is carefully carried out to ensure there is no threat of community transmission,” the CPCB official said.

How to segregate waste at housing societies

Amid the coronavirus lockdown, environmentalists are suggesting waste segregation at housing societies to avoid the daily accumulation of garbage

An initiative which promotes recycling said every household should ensure food waste is not collected in dustbins but is converted into compost instead

By mixing all food waste in a separate bucket with soil, each household can make compost which can be used as manure. This also cuts down the garbage generated every day, it said.

Many societies are also encouraging members as well as housekeeping staff to follow basic protocol of covering mouths, using gloves and sanitisers for safety

Some housing societies have also formed online groups to ensure the premises are disinfected regularly.