NESREA intensifies sensitisation on proper disposal of COVID-19 waste
inno.korieApril 20, 2020 3:05 pm 0
The National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) has intensified sensitisation of relevant government and private stakeholders to the need for proper disposal of COVID-19 waste.
Mr Abubakar Aliyu, the agency's Adamawa State Coordinator, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Yola that the aim of the sensitisation was to impact more knowledge.
"It is for various organisations handling COVID-19 and it is on how to manage the waste, according to international standards.''
He said the waste from a highly-contagious disease such as COVID-19, if not properly handled, could pose a great health danger for humans, animals and plants.
"Medical waste generated from the treatment of highly-contagious diseases such as COVID-19 can only be managed in accordance with international best practices.
"Such practices include segregation of hazardous wastes from those that are non-hazardous.
"That means all materials, including Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), used for the purpose of treatment of COVID-19 are considered an infectious waste which needs high level of proper disposal,'' Aliyu said.
He further stated that COVID-19 waste should be properly packaged for transport to treatment facilities.
"Each containerised infectious waste must be securely closed and protected from human, animals and environment.''
The NESREA official said the agency was doing all it could to contain the environmental impacts of viral spread from the disposal of the medical waste and contaminated articles.
He cautioned all authorities handling and managing the COVID-19 treatment to adhere to regulations and involve waste management professional bodies in waste disposal.
Aliyu said the agency had met with officials from the state's COVID-19 Containment Committee, ministries of Health and Environment, among others, for proper action.(NAN)
CATEGORIES Health
TAGS COVID19
AUTHOR inno.korie
Innocent Korie is an ICT and Project Management Professional with very good flair in business development, and Online media management.
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