Challenges in Healthcare Waste Management of the UN 2030 Agenda in the COVID-19 Era

Abstract

Today, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused a remarkable and sudden increase in global demand for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), such as masks, gloves, gowns. The growing biomedical and municipal streams of potentially infectious waste is a new challenge for every country since an inadequate waste management might have serious public health consequences and significant impact on the environment. In this scenario, this review study is aimed to point out that the current pandemic can impact on the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Specifically, within SDG12, the crisis of waste could offer countries a new production patterns towards a more sustainable future in its management. From review study, we believe that a new specific target for biomedical and municipal waste management could be added to SDG12: Target 12.9: "Ensure a safe and sustainable management of biomedical and municipal solid waste to attain an environmental sustainability during and especially after this widespread pandemic".  In this regard, it will be important to distinguish the ordinary waste from COVID-19 waste both in biomedical and municipal solid waste management to reach this target. In addition, innovative and sustainable strategies in biomedical and municipal waste management should be adopted in association with a new regulation at the legislative level during and after this pandemic. Therefore, new investments in clean techniques and in new infrastructures in management practice can play a crucial role to promote a new environmental transition stage. Furthermore, The United Nation’s Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development has created an important framework to realize environmental sustainability. through the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with 169 targets. In the last five years, many efforts are made to achieve SDGs, but today this pandemic could be a threat for the realization of these goals by 2030.  In this context, all countries can consider this pandemic as a new opportunity to launch a plan to stop pollution, climate change and possible new pandemics.