EU guidelines play down infection risks posed by domestic waste
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Household waste does not facilitate the spread of Covid-19 infections, according to guidelines issued by the European Centre for Diseases Prevention and Control (ECDC). The centre listed recommendations on the correct management of waste generated by suspected or confirmed patients treated at home. Paper tissues and face masks used by the patients should go in their own waste bag; gloves and masks used by caretakers should be dropped into a second bag but kept in the same room.
The ECDC cautions against emptying the contents of any of the bags into another, but once tied closed, they can be placed together inside a general garbage bag ready for unsorted collection.
The guidelines say that there is currently no evidence that standard waste management systems carry risks for the spread of the infection, but operators are advised to follow good practice procedures published by the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work. The agency recommends the wearing of adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) by workers and the observation of rigorous sanitisation exercises.
The European Commissioner for the Environment, Virginijus Sinkevičius, said that careful waste processes are essential to the wellbeing of EU citizens throughout the pandemic. He stressed the importance of proper waste management to protect both human health and the environment by keeping the circular economy going.
