Reply To An Article Clean Energy, Incinerating Waste And Destroying Viruses

We would like to share with you our concern related to information presented in the article from 12th May related to Clean Energy, Incinerating Waste And Destroying Viruses

The information presented in the article, as "waste needs to be incinerated to prevent further contamination and eliminate any trace of the virus" is incorrect and misleading. While incineration fulfils the task of destroying microbiological pollutants (like viruses), this is not an imperative way of waste treatment in connection with the COVID-19 epidemic.

We are emphasizing this because increasing quantities of waste and fear of infection are recently used as a justification and ‘promotion’ for use of incineration by Waste-to-energy (WtE) incineration industry.

In fact, Health Care Without Harm's experts prepared a comprehensive document with the latest information and recommendations on how to address medical waste management in a coronavirus context. Segregation systems should remain the same. To be plain, waste associated with COVID-19 should be managed no differently than other infectious waste. Both the World Health Organization and the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) have endorsed steam-based or other non-incineration methods of disinfection over incineration because of the persistent organic pollutants (POPs) produced by incineration.

In case of household waste, then, there is currently no evidence that this waste plays a role in the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 or other respiratory viruses. Standard waste management procedures are safe or sufficient in terms of the risk for COVID-19 infection. For example, the European Commission specifically advises its Member States to safeguard the overall continuity of proper municipal waste management services, including separate collection and recycling, that continue to align with and adhere to current EU waste regulations.
 

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