Does my organization need a COVID-19 PPE Waste Strategy?

Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) has become a blessing and a curse during the COVID-19 pandemic. From a public health perspective, PPE is essential to maintaining any semblance of normalcy during a pandemic — without PPE it would be impossible for us to work and take care of those who are contagious. However, the single-use and disposable nature of PPE has resulted in a significant global increase in solid waste, which begs the question: How should your organization handle PPE Waste?

Handling Personal Protection Equipment (PPE)

PPE is not recyclable. In fact, PPE handling is indistinct from other unrecyclable solid waste. The following recommendations from several disease control and health organizations including CDC, OSHA and EPA maintain that existing solid waste handling guidelines offer sufficient protection against COVID-19 infection:

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) — What Waste Collectors and Recyclers Need to Know about COVID-19
• United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) — Recycling and Sustainable Management of Food During the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Public Health Emergency
• Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) — COVID-19 Control and Prevention: Solid Waste and Wastewater Management Workers and Employers

Handling infectious COVID-19 waste

Similar to the guidelines regarding presumed uninfectious PPE solid waste, handling of presumably infectious solid waste remains unchanged and will continue to be handled in accordance with existing, medical waste guidelines. There are no additional packaging or transportation requirements from the Department of Transportation (DOT) for regulated medical waste or sharps. COVID-19 is not a Category A infectious substance.

Standard Operation Procedures related to COVID-19

While the procedures for those handling your waste will remain largely unchanged, the Center for Disease Control in the United States (CDC), and The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) have issued mandates aimed at reducing the spread of the coronavirus in the workplace. Material Management has extended your waste program’s Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to include these local and federal mandates. Including, but not limited to the following:

• Social distancing while sorting and handling waste and recyclables.
• Sanitation and handling procedures for reusable containers such as skips and gaylord boxes.
• PPE requirements when handling reusable containers.

Additionally, Material Management requires that all of our partners and suppliers employ similar precautions. See our blog post to Learn more about how Material Management is keeping your Waste Program running during COVID-19.

The health and safety of our customers and employees are our number one priority. Rest assured Material Management is taking every precaution to keep your waste program operational and your employees safe. We are closely monitoring the guidance of Federal and local health authorities to ensure we maintain the most accurate information necessary to protect our customers and employees. Feel free to contact us with your questions regarding our response to the coronavirus pandemic.