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Emerging challenges in urban waste management in Tehran, Iran during the COVID-19 pandemic

Ali Daryabeigi Zand1, Azar Vaezi Heir2

  • 1Assistant Professor, School of Environment, College of Engineering, University of Tehran, 141556135 Tehran, Iran.

Resources, Conservation, and Recycling
|August 25, 2020
PubMed

Insights

The COVID-19 pandemic created new municipal solid waste (MSW) challenges in Tehran, with increased landfilling and improper disposal of medical waste, raising concerns about secondary contagion risks.

Area of Science:

  • Environmental Science
  • Public Health
  • Waste Management

Background:

  • The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted municipal solid waste (MSW) generation and management globally.
  • Tehran, Iran, faces unique challenges in handling increased waste volumes, particularly from personal protective equipment (PPE) and hospital sources.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the new challenges in MSW management in Tehran following the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • To assess the scale of PPE waste and the treatment of hospital waste during the pandemic.
  • To evaluate the impact of the pandemic on MSW landfilling rates and the risk of secondary contagion.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of MSW generation data in Tehran before and after the COVID-19 outbreak.
  • Assessment of PPE waste quantities and disposal practices.
  • Evaluation of hospital waste treatment protocols.
  • Monitoring of landfilling rates and potential environmental/health risks.

Main Results:

  • Over 5.5 million pieces of PPE are discarded daily in Tehran.
  • Hospital waste is frequently disposed of without adequate treatment.
  • MSW landfilling has increased by 34.7% since the pandemic's onset.
  • Improper MSW management poses a probable risk of secondary contagion.

Conclusions:

  • Tehran's MSW management system is under significant strain due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • Urgent interventions are needed to address the improper disposal of PPE and hospital waste.
  • Effective waste management strategies are crucial to mitigate the risk of secondary contagion and protect public health.
Keywords:
COVID-19 pandemicMedical wasteSolid waste managementTehrandisposal

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