Publication | Open Access
Management of used personal protective equipment and wastes related to COVID-19 in South Korea
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2020
Year
EngineeringVirus EpidemiologyWaste DisposalCovid-19 EpidemiologyCovid-19Safe Management MethodEnvironmental HealthInfection ControlPersonal Protective EquipmentPublic HealthElectronic WasteContact TracingWaste ReductionSouth KoreaCovid-19 PandemicWaste ManagementWaste PreventionContamination ControlRecyclingWaste StorageRapid Spread
The rapid spread of COVID‑19 has dramatically increased the use of personal protective equipment, raising the risk of indirect infection and underscoring the need for effective PPE waste management, a practice refined in South Korea during previous outbreaks such as SARS, MERS, and Ebola. The South Korean Ministry of Environment has introduced special measures to strengthen COVID‑19 waste management, emphasizing sustainability, transparency, and safety.
With the rapid spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the amount of used personal protective equipment (PPE) including face masks and protective clothes has significantly increased. This used PPE in a hospital can lead to the indirect infection by COVID-19. Accordingly, it has been recognized that the management of used PPE is very important to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Through the experience of spreading some infectious diseases such as severe acute respiratory syndrome, Middle East respiratory syndrome and Ebola virus in South Korea (Republic of Korea), a safe management method of waste related to infectious diseases has been developed. In addition, regarding waste related to COVID-19, the Ministry of Environment, SK, proposed special measures to strengthen the management process of waste related to COVID-19 based on principles such as sustainability, transparency and safety.