The current pandemic of the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, raises questions and brings challenges regarding municipal waste management practices and procedures (safety and health measures for employees, waste treatment requirements, general procedures due to coronavirus for the waste sector).
Source: https://www.acrplus.org/en/municipal-waste-management-covid-19
Waste from possible cases and cleaning of areas where possible Covid19 cases have been (including disposable cloths and tissues):
- Should be put in a plastic rubbish bag and tied when full.
- The plastic bag should then be placed in a second bin bag and tied.
- It should be put in a suitable and secure place and marked for storage until the individual’s test results are known.
Waste should be stored safely and kept away from children. You should not put your waste in communal waste areas until negative test results are known or the waste has been stored for at least 72 hours.
- if the individual tests negative, this can be put in with the normal waste
- if the individual tests positive, then store it for at least 72 hours and put in with the normal waste
If storage for at least 72 hours is not appropriate, arrange for collection as a Category B infectious waste either by your local waste collection authority if they currently collect your waste or otherwise by a specialist clinical waste contractor. They will supply you with orange clinical waste bags for you to place your bags into so the waste can be sent for appropriate treatment.
Source: www.gov.uk