An environmental protection group is concerned about the increase in plastics considered infectious waste from some hospitals in Metro Manila.
In a survey conducted by Health Care Without Harm (HCWH) Southeast Asia in 5 hospitals in Metro Manila, it appears that the volume of infectious or hazardous wastes such as personal protective equipment or certain gloves, plastic suits, etc., has increased.
Plastics from food that should be in a separate category also float with infectious waste.
“Halimbawa, there are hospitals whose volume of waste in the pre-pandemic is about 130 bags daily. Pagka tiningnan mo ngayon ‘yan, they will report to us na dumoble ‘yung what is considered as infectious waste. Ngayon, nang in-audit namin, what we found out is that simply because everything is now mostly considered as infectious even if it is not infectious kaya tumataas ‘yung volume,” Ramon San Pascual, executive director of HCWH-Southwast Asia, said in an interview with ABS-CBN News.
There are three categories in the segregation of waste in hospitals: infectious waste in the yellow trash, food waste in the green trash, and regular waste in the black trash.
Infectious waste from Metro Manila hospitals increased amid pandemic
According to San Pascual, the waste management of some hospitals is not good.
“There is a glaring gap in terms of segregation. Ang halimbawa nito, ‘yung what we used before as reusable sa mga cafeteria, pinalitan lahat ‘yun ng mga disposable… so ang bilis na inakyat nito, ‘yung mga plastik,” said San Pascual.
He said, perhaps this is due to the fear of hospitals in COVID-19.
“Pag in-observe mo properly (ang mga kategorya ng basura), pinaka-least dapat diyan ang infectious waste kasi just like any ordinary household, ang hospital, ang regular waste nila and food waste will constitute about 70 to 80 percent. Pero dahil there is so much fear of infection due to COVID, nilaglag lahat ‘yung ganong caution ng segregation. Parang ang naging attitude ng mga ospital, easily, pagka delikado, infectious na lang ‘yan. So, doon nagkakaroon ng problema, doon sa segregation pa lang,” added San Pascual.
According to San Pascual, it is possible to cause environmental and health problems if the waste management system is not followed.