Waste Management in COVID-19 Pandemic: Impacts, Challenges, and Perspectives

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a huge negative influence on the world’s waste management systems. Due to the pandemic, there has been an increase in the production of medical waste, including disposable masks, personal protective equipment (PPE), and other trash associated with healthcare. These items’ improper disposal has sparked worries about potential dangers to the environment and public health. Moreover, a significant increase in home trash has been brought on by the increased usage of single-use items like food packaging and online shopping packing. These changes in waste composition have put a burden on the infrastructure and processes for waste management, necessitating quick adaptation and novel ideas. The difficulties in managing garbage during the epidemic have spurred researchers to investigate alternative waste treatment techniques, like sophisticated recycling technologies and waste-to-energy systems. The pandemic has also brought attention to the significance of educating and raising public knowledge about proper garbage disposal, recycling, and segregation techniques. Although the pandemic has created many difficulties, it has also provided chances to create more robust waste management systems. To address both the immediate problems and long-term sustainability objectives, effective waste management planning, infrastructure, and policies are now more important than ever. The pandemic has also highlighted the necessity of a comprehensive and integrated response by highlighting the interdependencies between public health, environmental protection, and waste management. The necessity of sustainable waste management techniques is emphasized in this chapter, which provides insights into the difficulties encountered and the perspectives acquired.