Within a short span of time, the COVID-19 pandemic has engulfed the entire world, affecting more than 206 countries and territories. In the healthcare sector, the caseload of patients surged due to the pandemic, leading to increased production of hazardous healthcare waste for countries with or without adequate medical waste management systems. One year after the declaration of COVID-19 as a global pandemic, challenges posed by COVID-19 related waste still remain.
In the past year, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has supported its Member States to manage COVID-19 medical waste in an environmentally sound manner. Through the global webinar series, guidance notes on waste management, rapid needs assessment, and remote technical assistance, UNEP has gained valuable lessons learned from addressing environmental linkages of COVID-19.
UNEP is hosting a series of technical assistance training sessions on the challenges and lessons learned on effective approaches towards managing medical waste:
- April 28: Effective Management Practices for COVID-19 related Healthcare Waste
- June 17: COVID-19 Related Wastes and the Informal Waste Recycling Sector
- August 19: Appropriate Technologies to Address COVID-19 related Healthcare Waste Management Register
Register here.
Read this flyer for more information.
