Remains of a blue coat that resembled a PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) were found in Kollam's Ashramam ground. Most of the coat was burnt, but parts of the sleeve and a part of a mask remained, which multiple doctors have confirmed: “looks like a PPE.”
Health officials were caught off-guard and weren't aware of who the culprit was.
The District Medical Officer (DMO), Sreelatha, told The New Indian Express, "it is highly dangerous to have burnt it in a public place," and added that, "it's really sad that something like this would happen especially after all the public health advisories released for correct disposal methods of bio-medical waste for individuals.”
She said she would look into the case.
The DMO added that "health workers in hospitals follow proper procedures for donning and discarding the PPE kits, which is collected and sent off through IMAGE (A Biomedical Waste Treatment and Disposal Facility at Palakkad that collects bio-medical waste from hospitals across Kerala and ensures its scientific disposal).”
Ashramam Health Inspector, R Binoy, said, “We’ve only found one other incident where a PPE was thrown away at the Kollam KSRTC bus stand (1 km from Ashramam ground), which auto drivers had noticed and informed us about.”
When informed, he said, sanitation workers armed with protective gear -- mask, gloves and jump boots -- are advised to apply a bleach solution and let the kit soak for some time before clearing it from the location.
A sanitation worker near the area on being asked whether she would pick up a PPE if she saw one said she wouldn’t and added, “I’ve seen the advisories, it’s dangerous.”
Asked about the level of awareness among those who don’t work in hospitals like the ambulance drivers, the DMO said that they are trained to follow the correct procedure for disposal of the PPE, and certain locations in the hospitals have been reserved for waste disposal as it can be “highly dangerous if not done correctly.”
The DMO said used masks and gloves lying about on the roads were happening though "we regularly conduct public awareness campaigns."
The Ashramam ground
Spread over 72 acres, Ashramam maidhanam is a largely empty ground that has a helipad, which has been occasionally used by politicians including, Prime Minister Modi who arrived there early last year. The ground that was once a popular haunt for cricket players including children and adults, now stands deserted. A few people learning to drive cars or scooters are the only ones to be found on any given day.
The ground is also a jogger's spot; the walkway built around it is often crowded in the mornings and evenings.
The maidhanam is also where ambulances carrying COVID positive patients are disinfected by the Fire Force, the inspector said.
PPE in public places?
Dr Krishnakumar, Assistant Professor at Government Medical College, Kottayam, whose subject area is Infectious Diseases, had this to say on the dangers of dumping bio-medical waste in public places. “It should have been burnt in an incinerator in a closed space as most of the PPE components will have a plastic component.”
He added that any material that remains after burning in a public place is a biohazard, saying “it could easily be picked up by stray dogs.”
What are the standard procedures for proper disposal of PPEs and other bio-medical wastes?
According to Dr Krishnakumar, there are two main ways in which hospitals dispose COVID-related medical waste.
One is to collect COVID waste separately from the usual medical waste and cover it in two bags for protection. It will then be picked up by IMAGE officials.
The second system is the one adopted by the COVID First Line Treatment Centres (CFLTs) – schools, auditoriums etc. - that have been equipped to support COVID patients.
These centres would probably buy incinerators for Rs 50,000 and burn the COVID-related medical waste. Even sewage waste from washing soiled linen is treated with care, as the wastewater is collected through a three-system tank and not drained into the open.
Meanwhile, a cell biologist at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Carolyn Machamer had said in a press release that even though the novel coronavirus can last on plastic for up to 72 hours, “the amount of virus that remains… is less than 0.1 per cent of the starting virus material.”
She added that the infection is “theoretically possible but unlikely at the levels remaining after a few days.”