Scattering of used protective gears and used face masks, gloves and other personal protective equipment (PPE) are posing a serious health hazard.
These protective gears are meant for fighting Covid-19 pandemic; but the careless disposed of these wastes is creating perils for the society.
A section of negligent people are continuously throwing masks and other safety stuffs here and there flouting repeated warning from the government.
Hundreds of used masks are often seen littered on roads, footpaths, in open dustbins, on lanes and by-lanes in Dhaka city. The second wave of Covid-19 pandemic is sweeping the world in the winter.
“I pick up a number of face masks from the road every day, especially the surgical masks. Some cloth masks are also seen on the roads,” said Abdul Baten, a cleaner (cleanliness worker) of Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC).
The surgical masks are sold at a very cheap price. People purchase such masks just to use it for once or a day. So, people throw it here and there on the roads after every use.
Health experts strongly suggested trashing of used masks and tissues in a covered dustbin. However, common people hardly pay any heed to the instruction and throw the used masks carelessly.
According to a study conducted by Environment and Social Development Organisation (ESDO), a total of 447 tonnes of surgical masks, 602 tonnes of polythene gloves, 1,314 tonnes of surgical gloves and 270 tonnes of sanitiser bottles are being wasted every month amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The study also said, 28.2 percent of the masks, 19.8 percent of the polythene gloves, 46.3 percent of surgical gloves and 30 percent of the sanitiser bottles were found in Dhaka waste disposals.
According to another study conducted by BRAC, only 6.6 percent of healthcare and medical wastes were properly managed during the Covid-19 pandemic. The remaining 93 percent wastes were just thrown absurdly.
Public health expert Dr Lelin Chowdhury told Bangladesh Post, “Medical wastes have devastating impacts on public health and climate. These are mixing with the environment through different sources. The used masks and PPEs can pose a serious health hazard to others if they are not disposed of properly. People should not come in contact with those medical wastes.”
City dwellers also complain of used masks thrown in public places, especially near parks, playground, parking lots and pavements.
“When I took my son to a nearby open space for playing, we found a number of used face masks. Medical wastes including used gloves and face masks can pose serious health risk to many of us. The officials concerned should fine the individuals for throwing them improperly,” said Abdul Motin, a city dweller of Lalbagh area.
Abu Naser Khan, Chairman of Save the Environment Movement, also known as ‘Poribesh Bachao Andolon (POBA) said, “Department of Environment has been given different guidelines. But we can say that they could not implement the guidelines fully owing to limited manpower. So, City Corporations and LGRD Ministry will have to take the responsibility of collecting and disposing of hazardous medical wastes properly.”
According to the rules, Directorate General of Health Services and the ministry of health are responsible for managing the infectious medical waste while the city corporations are in-charge of managing the general wastes.
Chief Waste Management Officer of Dhaka North City Corporation Commodore M Saidur Rahman said, “People are not aware enough. We have given instructions to all to keep covid and non-covid waste separately. But people hardly keep waste separately.”
“Our staff will bring the covid waste every Saturday and Tuesday a week. Then they will keep it separate and later Prism Bangladesh will take it away,” he added.