Impact of COVID-19 on the generation and management of medical waste: case study

Abstract

The impact of the new Coronavirus pandemic on public health and its consequences in the economic, social, and environmental context is undeniable, highlighting, from an environment point of view, the increase in the generation of medical waste belonging to Group A. These residues deserve special attention since inadequate management practices can lead to negative impacts on environmental sustainability, aggravating the state of public health. In this context, the research aimed to analyze, through a descriptive cross-sectional study, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the rates of Group A medical waste produced in a hospital located in the southern region of the country. The results indicated that the generation of medical waste increased 21% compared to the pre-pandemic period, corroborating with other studies that shown the influence of the pandemic on the increase in the generation of this type of waste. Thus, the permanent assessment of the generation and management of medical waste constitutes an important database for more assertive decision-making, both by managers of public and private institutions, with the objective of mitigating the environmental impacts and risks to public health imposed by the pandemic.