Waste management and battling the coronavirus

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic currently ravaging  the underdeveloped, developing, and developed countries virtually in all continents of the world has created a global public health emergency as a result of its rapid global transmission with almost one million people confirmed and several thousand killed globally. For example New York, USA recorded the highest death rate of about 735 deaths in a day.  Nigeria, fortunately, has 288 confirmed cases as of 9th April 2020; low casualty figure of 7 deaths thus far; while 51 cases have been discharged. Yet the outbreak is still spreading like a wildfire and also destabilising the economies of most countries with developing countries at the highest risk.

Knowledge gaps exist in available scientific literature about the control of coronavirus and these have thrown up some  questions about what factors influence the environmental behavior and survival of the virus  as well as a deep understanding of its lifecycle and fate. The pertinent questions include the following: (i) How do environmental factors affect the role of aerosol transmission of the virus? (ii) How does the virus survive in different environmental compartments (land; water; air) and conditions? (iii) What are the environmental impacts of viral spread from the disposal of medical waste and contaminated articles? (iv) How does this virus survive and dissipate in human feces and wastewaters and the wider environment? (v) How effective are water disinfection treatments at stopping viral spread and how can we improve the current strategies for the containment of the outbreak in the environment? Answers to these questions provide opportunities for research data for informed decision making.

One of the operational challenges of COVID-19 virus control is the inadequacy of testing facilities when compared to large populations to be tested.  Dutch scientists reported a breakthrough recently having found that traces of the  pathogen “SARS-CoV-2 which is the virus that causes COVID -19 were present in the feces of many infected persons and wastewater.’’ This implies  that ‘’sewage surveillance could be a useful tool in detecting whether COVID-19 is present in a population before testing patients.

COVID-19 waste or any materials/articles contaminated with coronavirus fall under the category of Medical/Clinical wastes which are  hazardous or dangerous or deadly  waste ( 1989 Basel Convention) with inherent chemical and physical characteristics such as toxicity, ignitability, corrosiveness, carcinogenicity or other properties which also  cause death. This has implication for the management of wastes from COVID-19 or articles/materials contaminated with the virus from  testing laboratories; Isolation facilities; and quarantine facilities for the treatment of infected persons as well as wastes from lockdown centers respectively and as appropriate. The use of personal protective equipment covering from head to toe and of the correct quality; specifications and standard cannot be over-emphasised. Chicago City workers in USA said they’re picking up 50 percent more garbage during lock-down or stay-home order — but aren’t issued masks. Nigeria has lessons to learn here by recognising the value of efficient waste management system and safety protection for waste handlers in the lockdown areas of the country such as Lagos; Abuja and Abeokuta.

Hence extant crude methods of disposal of municipal solid wastes or co -disposal with hazardous waste in dumpsites or non-engineered landfills or uncontrolled open air-burning are all not environmentally sound or acceptable for coronavirus waste management with potential high risks  to human health  and the environment.  Co-disposal of municipal solid waste with coronavirus waste may result in the latter becoming secondary source of continual release of deadly coronavirus waste into the environment and causing more deaths in the future.  The order of Lagos state government asking waste scavengers to quit dumpsites in Lagos is therefore a timely proactive action to avoid unnecessary deaths at the dumpsites.

International organisations and professional bodies have offered advice to governments that waste management be given a significant role during  coronavirus crisis. A few of the headlines promoting this idea  are :

-United Nations Environment Programme(UNEP) Adds to Calls for Governments to Consider Waste Management an Essential Service

-Public Waste Industry Must be Included in Coronavirus Emergency Response

-Member States Must Recognise Waste as “Essential Services”

The Nigerian government Coronavirus Emergency Response Strategy and the  implementation have been highly commendable making Nigerians proud. The great performance of the Lagos State “Action Governor” H.E. Mr Babajide Sanwo-olu has been inspirational. The Presidential Task Force too has performed creditably; yet it should take on board international clamour that‘’ Waste Industry ‘’ must be included in national coronavirus emergency  response in  countries. This should also be implemented in all the states of the federation. In this regard the Federal Ministry of Environment; with mandate for hazardous waste management control in the country should develop a National Guidelines for Environmentally Sound Management of Coronavirus waste including high temperature incineration  technology  with pollution control. The presidential taskforce through the Federal Ministry of Environment should also carry out Post Impact Environmental Assessment (PIEA) of the following activity centres: lsolation; Testing and Quarantine etc  respectively to ascertain that no legacy of deadly coronavirus waste pollution  remains at these sites. Not the least, the waste industry must be included in Coronavirus Emergency  Response. Furthermore professional bodies in waste management and technology must  also be included in the national response plan.

 

• Professor Osibanjo is president, Waste Management Society of Nigeria (WAMASON)

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