Beyond the Frontlines: Assessing PPE Waste Disposal in Lahore's Major Public Hospitals During COVID-19 and its Environmental Consequences

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic spread around the world like fire in a forest. Many preventative measures were suggested, among which one was the use of PPE. PPE was already being used in hospitals to prevent the spread of contagious diseases. The current pandemic led to an enormous increase in PPE usage, both in hospitals and domestic circuits. However, it has been observed that PPE waste is not being handled and administered appropriately in some major hospitals in Lahore, Pakistan. This mishandling can lead to the rapid spread of diseases, more specifically, the current pandemic, COVID-19. Our study aimed to describe the management of PPE waste in public hospitals. The data was collected by direct and indirect observations of staff in the hospital, including the ones in administration, and the way they managed the waste. The condition of infectious waste in the waste depots of hospitals was also observed and noted. It was observed that not all the hospitals were following the guidelines provided by the WHO about PPE waste. Segregation, storage and transportation were below Pakistan’s biosafety rules for 2015 and WHO standards. It could lead to many health and environmental problems. Our study highlights the need for staff training regarding segregation and the proper storage and disposal of hospitals' waste. Certain recommendations in this regard have also been reported to put a stop to the issue of PPE waste and its drastic consequences for the environment.