Coronavirus and Waste Pick-up

The government has created guidelines for dealing with waste in response to the coronavirus. It is not enough to just place bags of rubbish at the curb, particularly if an individual tests positive for the virus.

• Infection-free

If no one in the household tests positive, Public Health England says to treat waste as they normally would. The waste industry is taking the threat of contaminated refuse seriously, according to an article in letsrecycle.com. However, waste haulers are not going overboard.

An official with the waste management firm Andusia said this is not like the Ebola outbreak a couple of years back. They said the virus is on par with the flu or the cold, the latter which is caused by a coronavirus. With that in mind, the official said containment should not be an issue.

• Positive For Coronavirus

A household with an individual that tests positive is required to treat the waste as “Category B Waste,” This is waste that is considered possibly infectious and includes such material as blood, tissue, feces or other bodily fluid, It should be bagged in a yellow or red plastic bag or container and then placed in another red or yellow bag. That second bag must be labelled “Category B,” according to Public Health England.

This will identify the waste so that it can be disposed of properly and by the proper handlers. Also, if the coronavirus is suspected in the household, double bag waste such as masks or used tissues and store it until it’s certain an individual is positive or negative for the virus. Another thing to remember is that Category B waste can not be kept normally at the curb where it vulnerable to accidental tampering. It must be placed in a secure location and arrangements must be made to collect such waste.

• Profiting off Waste Disposal

Though there is not much concern for general waste pick-up, there is a possible upside in the markets. In fact, according to Yahoo.news, the stock of companies that handle contaminated waste is on the rise. Waste Management, for instance, saw an increase of about 5 percent and the site lists four other waste companies that may see profits.

This is because governments have mandated medical waste to be treated properly. In China, for instance, is following WHO guidance and is overseeing disposal of medical waste to make sure proper measures are taken