Currently, an upward trend in the number of COVID-19 cases on the daily basis leads to the necessity of focusing on sorting potentially infectious waste at confirmed cases' accommodation to avoid the high risk of infection and the safety of environmental sanitation workers.

Workers collecting household waste in Tho Quang Ward discovered a SARS-CoV-2 rapid test kit with 2 visible lines mingled with household garbage at noon on February 23. Photo: HOANG HIEP

Fear of infection from waste

According to the guidance of the health industry, all kinds of household waste of those who are under home-based COVID-19 treatment, and rapid test kits that give positive results for SARS-CoV-2 must be collected and handled separately to avoid the risk of infection to the community

However, the reality shows that environmental sanitation workers of Son Tra Environmental Enterprise still discovered loads of used face masks and SARS-CoV-2 rapid test kits mingled with household waste in bags at the gathering point of daily-life trash cans on the sidewalk of Bui Quoc Hung Street, Tho Quang Ward, Son Tra District. That's because people use an increasing number of masks and rapid testing kits but do not know how to handle these infectious wastes, posing a risk of infection to environmental workers and the community.

In the same vein, around the area of Tu Mo Street, behind Da Nang Central Bus Station, Lien Chieu District, or at Dinh Liet Street, Hoa An Ward, Cam Le District, medical masks as well as test kits are also disposed of indiscriminately into the environment.

Therefore, it is necessary to specific instructions of the competent authorities to guide people to properly dispose of waste. At the same time, locals also need to be more aware and responsible for indiscriminate garbage disposal.

Hazardous waste must be collected and processed separately

According to Ms Hoang Thi Ngoc Hieu Deputy General Director of Da Nang Urban Environment Joint Stock Company, houses having signposts in front and report to local authorities that their families have COVID-19 patients (F0) will have their own waste collected and brought to a separate collection point by environmental sanitation workers for transportation and process in accordance with regulations. However, many F0s being under home-based treatment hasn't declared to the authorities so workers do not know to come and collect their waste.

On February 23, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment issued Official Letter No. 626/STNMT-CCMT to related units and agencies on strengthening propaganda, guidance and inspecting the classification and storage of hazardous COVID-19 waste at households and places of residence of people under COVID-19 home-based treatment and isolation.

The above-mentioned Department also asked the People's Committees of districts to direct the People's Committees of wards and communes, and groups being in charge of COVID-19 prevention and control in the community to strengthen propaganda, guide and supervise the medical declaration of COVID-19 cases being under medical isolation at home for environmental workers to access and collect hazardous waste according to regulations.

At the same time, Da Nang Urban Environment Joint Stock Company and other citywide waste collection and transportation units direct their units and departments to collect and transport common solid waste and COVID-19 waste in residential areas. When detecting COVID-19 waste mixed with ordinary household waste during the implementation process, units and individuals should immediately inform competent authorities for inspection and handling.

Reporting by HOANG HIEP - VAN KHANH- Translating by T.VY