COVID-19 pandemic-induced medical waste in the Anthropocene: Generation, management, and environmental impact

Pandemic outbreaks are a major challenge in terms of human health and environmental impact. Pandemics cause an increase in waste production, a significant reduction in waste recycling, and the release of disinfectants into the environment. In order to minimize the negative impact on the environment, it is essential to acquire and develop universal methods for dealing with the pandemic to minimize the negative impact on the environment. Based on the data provided by Polish and Indian hospitals, the impact of the pandemic in the Anthropocene epoch on the generation and management of hazardous medical waste was evaluated. To determine the impact of the pandemic, waste data were analyzed for three periods: before, during and after the pandemic. There was an unprecedented 10-fold increase in the demand for polymeric personal protective equipment from 2019 to 2020 and 2021, and a statistically significant ( p ⩽ 0.05) increase in the amount of hazardous medical waste generated in the healthcare centers studied from 2019 to 2022. Although the pandemic caused an “Anthropause” that contributed to a temporary improvement in air quality in many regions the environmental impact of the pandemic was negative due to an increase in the production and consumption of plastic waste and restrictions on recycling and waste separation, highlighting the urgent need to adopt sustainable practices to deal with future pandemics.