Medical Waste Issue Amidst Covid-19
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20 April 2021 20:47 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A surge of medical waste has been recorded after the Covid-19 pandemic arrived in Indonesia in March of last year. This type of waste consists of PPE (personal protection equipment), disposable masks, medical gloves, and the most recent is syringes from the thousands of vaccinations.
The Indonesian Hospital Association (PERSI) announced that Indonesia could produce medical waste up to 88,398 kilograms on a daily basis, which is 30 percent above the normal medical waste level.
Meanwhile, face mask waste reaches 537,166 kilograms daily with the assumption that 50 percent of Indonesians use one disposable mask per day.
Many experts have voiced their concern about this and reminded the public numerous times to avoid carelessly disposing of medical wastes as it can help spread illnesses. The Infectious waste is destroyed in the incinerator with a minimum temperature of 800 degrees.
Citing the website of the Indonesian Health Ministry kesmas.kemkes.go.id, infectious medical waste - especially those categorized as hazardous and toxic wastes or B3 wastes - must be placed in biohazard bags and that only solid medical wastes that can be put in the yellow biohazard bags.
Read: West Java Overwhelmed by 1.7 tons of Medical Waste Per Day
GERIN RIO PRANATA
