The outbreak and spread of COVID-19 pandemic, among other challenges, brought the issue of the handling and safe disposal of COVID-19 waste generated from the households and medical care facilities. To address the mismanagement of COVID-19 waste in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sweden, through United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), is supporting authorities with effective response and educating citizens how to handle this type of waste.

Lack of adequate waste management system, particularly from viewpoint of collection, treatment and processing of COVID-19 waste from households poses threats to human health and the environment. Effective waste management is essential to minimise possible secondary impacts upon health and the environment from COVID-19.

“Medical waste is toxic and if it is not taken care of properly it pollutes the environment and affects people’s health. The COVID-19 pandemic has made clear that there is an urgent need for better handling of medical waste, both for private citizens, hospitals and at industrial scale in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Sweden supports local authorities in this initiative, says Johanna Strömquist, Ambassador of Sweden to BiH.

COVID-19 waste generation increases exponentially in an epidemic outbreak and it may, if improperly collected or treated, accelerate disease spread and pose a significant risk to medical staff, patients and waste collection and treatment staff. COVID-19 waste include single use masks, gloves and other personal protection equipment. If not disposed of properly, we can face to its accumulation in our environment. The safe and environmentally sound handling, treatment and final disposal of this waste is essential by medical facilities and households.

“With support of Sweden, through the assessments of medical waste disposal practices the UNDP, as part of joint and coordinated response of the United Nations, will support domestic authorities with procurement of separate medical waste disposal equipment, medical waste treatment facilities and suitable personal protective equipment for workers collecting household waste” stated Steliana Nedera, UNDP Resident Representative in BiH.

All activities will be implemented in collaboration with healthcare and environmental authorities and waste management utilities in 21 selected locations in BiH and with the World Health Organization. Since research showed that the COVID-19 can survive on materials such as plastic, for multiple hours, up to days, and could therefore be transmitted by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching mouth, nose or eyes, consequently  the set of instructions for households with the steps to follow has been developed in close coordination with all relevant authorities and health experts.

Materials are available at website of Institute for Public Health of Federation of BiH https://www.zzjzfbih.ba/ and Ministry of Health and Social Protection of Republika Srpska and Ministry of Spatial Planning, Construction and Ecology of Republika Srpska www.vladars.net.

Activities are implemented under the UNDP project “Environmentally Sound Management of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) in Industrial and Hazardous Waste Sectors” financed by Sweden. The project aims at minimizing human health impact and protecting the environment from hazardous chemicals – persistent organic pollutants - that remain intact in the environment for a long period.

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