IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v17y2020i15p5439-d391080.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Assessment of COVID-19 Waste Flows During the Emergency State in Romania and Related Public Health and Environmental Concerns

Author

Listed:
  • Florin-Constantin Mihai

    (Department of Research, Faculty of Geography and Geology, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, Carol I Blvd, Nr.20 A, RO-700505 Iasi, Romania)

Abstract

This paper provides a rapid assessment method of potentially infectious waste flow related to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic in Romania focusing on the emergency state (from 16 March to 14 May 2020) where a national lockdown was in force with restrictive and social distancing measures concerning population mobility and economic activities. Medical and municipal waste management systems are critical services in combating the virus spread in the community. This assessment is useful due to poor available data of medical waste flow in environmental reports and it covers COVID-19 patients, quarantined, and self-isolated persons as the main potential infectious waste sources. The proposed model estimates that COVID-19 related waste flow is 4312 t at the national level from 25 February to 15 June of which 2633 t in the emergency state period. This assessment is correlated with deficiencies of medical and municipal waste management systems in Romania before the COVID-19 pandemic as stress factors of public health and environment. This study points out the main challenges of waste operators and reveals some best practices during this pandemic crisis. Based on the results and discussion section, several recommendations are proposed to COVID-19 waste-related issues and points out the crucial role of the reliable medical and municipal waste database in managing such biologic hazards at national and EU levels. Monitoring of COVID-19 waste flow through such models are important for decision-makers, particularly in low and middle-income countries which are facing waste management deficiencies and gaps in waste statistics, to reduce other contamination risks or related environmental threats.

Suggested Citation

  • Florin-Constantin Mihai, 2020. "Assessment of COVID-19 Waste Flows During the Emergency State in Romania and Related Public Health and Environmental Concerns," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(15), pages 1-18, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:15:p:5439-:d:391080
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/15/5439/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/15/5439/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Mihai, Florin-Constantin, 2017. "One Global Map but Different Worlds: Worldwide Survey of Human Access to Basic Utilities," MPRA Paper 80227, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    2. Klemeš, Jiří Jaromír & Fan, Yee Van & Tan, Raymond R. & Jiang, Peng, 2020. "Minimising the present and future plastic waste, energy and environmental footprints related to COVID-19," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 127(C).
    3. Hao Yu & Xu Sun & Wei Deng Solvang & Xu Zhao, 2020. "Reverse Logistics Network Design for Effective Management of Medical Waste in Epidemic Outbreaks: Insights from the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Outbreak in Wuhan (China)," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(5), pages 1-25, March.
    4. Mihai, Florin-Constantin, 2017. "Waste collection in rural communities: challenges under EU regulations. A Case study of Neamt County, Romania," MPRA Paper 79883, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    5. MIHAI, Florin Constantin, 2018. "Rural plastic emissions into the largestmountain lake of the Eastern Carpathians," SocArXiv ymzx7, Center for Open Science.
    6. Florin-Constantin Mihai & Adrian Grozavu, 2019. "Role of Waste Collection Efficiency in Providing a Cleaner Rural Environment," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(23), pages 1-22, December.
    7. Simona Bungau & Delia Mirela Tit & Katalin Fodor & Gabriela Cioca & Maricel Agop & Ciprian Iovan & Delia Carmen Nistor Cseppento & Adrian Bumbu & Cristiana Bustea, 2018. "Aspects Regarding the Pharmaceutical Waste Management in Romania," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(8), pages 1-14, August.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Tushar, Saifur Rahman & Alam, Md. Fahim Bin & Bari, A.B.M. Mainul & Karmaker, Chitra Lekha, 2023. "Assessing the challenges to medical waste management during the COVID-19 pandemic: Implications for the environmental sustainability in the emerging economies," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 87(PA).
    2. Peng Jiang & Jiří Jaromír Klemeš & Yee Van Fan & Xiuju Fu & Yong Mong Bee, 2021. "More Is Not Enough: A Deeper Understanding of the COVID-19 Impacts on Healthcare, Energy and Environment Is Crucial," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(2), pages 1-22, January.
    3. Iasmina Petrovici & Mihaela Ionica & Octavian C. Neagoe, 2021. "Economic Crisis: A Factor for the Delayed Diagnosis of Breast Cancer," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(8), pages 1-10, April.
    4. Jing Jia & Wenhao Wang & Lvjiang Yin & Jin Liu & Antony Mutua Nzioka & Caozheng Yan, 2022. "Cost–Benefit Analysis of Introducing Custom-Made Small Thermal-Frictional Sterilization System to the Existing Hospital Waste Disposal System: A Case Study of Chinese Hospital," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-17, October.
    5. Lynda Andeobu & Santoso Wibowo & Srimannarayana Grandhi, 2022. "Medical Waste from COVID-19 Pandemic—A Systematic Review of Management and Environmental Impacts in Australia," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(3), pages 1-25, January.
    6. Aianna Rios Magalhães Véras e Silva & Bruna de Freitas Iwata & Maria do Socorro Ferreira dos Santos & José Machado Moita Neto, 2023. "Impacts and Regulations of Healthcare Solid Waste Management during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Systematic Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(19), pages 1-19, October.
    7. Ziyuan Liu & Zhi Li & Weiming Chen & Yunpu Zhao & Hanxun Yue & Zhenzhen Wu, 2020. "Path Optimization of Medical Waste Transport Routes in the Emergent Public Health Event of COVID-19: A Hybrid Optimization Algorithm Based on the Immune–Ant Colony Algorithm," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(16), pages 1-18, August.
    8. Patricia Bostan & Cristina Lazar & Ionel Bostan, 2023. "Transition of Medical Waste Management (MWM) from Romania to the Circular Economy Paradigm: Expectations and Objective Limits," Ovidius University Annals, Economic Sciences Series, Ovidius University of Constantza, Faculty of Economic Sciences, vol. 0(1), pages 34-41, August.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Yin Ting Chu & Jianzhao Zhou & Yuan Wang & Yue Liu & Jingzheng Ren, 2023. "Current State, Development and Future Directions of Medical Waste Valorization," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(3), pages 1-28, January.
    2. Tushar, Saifur Rahman & Alam, Md. Fahim Bin & Bari, A.B.M. Mainul & Karmaker, Chitra Lekha, 2023. "Assessing the challenges to medical waste management during the COVID-19 pandemic: Implications for the environmental sustainability in the emerging economies," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 87(PA).
    3. Andreea Simona Saseanu & Rodica-Manuela Gogonea & Simona Ioana Ghita & Radu Şerban Zaharia, 2019. "The Impact of Education and Residential Environment on Long-Term Waste Management Behavior in the Context of Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(14), pages 1-17, July.
    4. Min Su & Qiang Wang & Rongrong Li, 2021. "How to Dispose of Medical Waste Caused by COVID-19? A Case Study of China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(22), pages 1-18, November.
    5. Piotr Nowakowski & Sandra Kuśnierz & Patrycja Sosna & Jakub Mauer & Dawid Maj, 2020. "Disposal of Personal Protective Equipment during the COVID-19 Pandemic Is a Challenge for Waste Collection Companies and Society: A Case Study in Poland," Resources, MDPI, vol. 9(10), pages 1-11, September.
    6. Fariba Goodarzian & Ali Navaei & Behdad Ehsani & Peiman Ghasemi & Jesús Muñuzuri, 2023. "Designing an integrated responsive-green-cold vaccine supply chain network using Internet-of-Things: artificial intelligence-based solutions," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 328(1), pages 531-575, September.
    7. Veknesh Arumugam & Ismail Abdullah & Irwan Syah Md Yusoff & Nor Liza Abdullah & Ramli Mohd Tahir & Ahadi Mohd Nasir & Ammar Ehsan Omar & Muhammad Heikal Ismail, 2021. "The Impact of COVID-19 on Solid Waste Generation in the Perspectives of Socioeconomic and People’s Behavior: A Case Study in Serdang, Malaysia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(23), pages 1-11, November.
    8. Gabriele Cervino & Luca Fiorillo & Giovanni Surace & Valeria Paduano & Maria Teresa Fiorillo & Rosa De Stefano & Riccardo Laudicella & Sergio Baldari & Michele Gaeta & Marco Cicciù, 2020. "SARS-CoV-2 Persistence: Data Summary up to Q2 2020," Data, MDPI, vol. 5(3), pages 1-16, September.
    9. Clavijo-Buritica, Nicolás & Triana-Sanchez, Laura & Escobar, John Willmer, 2023. "A hybrid modeling approach for resilient agri-supply network design in emerging countries: Colombian coffee supply chain," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 85(C).
    10. Masoomeh Zeinalnezhad & Abdoulmohammad Gholamzadeh Chofreh & Feybi Ariani Goni & Jiří Jaromír Klemeš & Emelia Sari, 2020. "Simulation and Improvement of Patients’ Workflow in Heart Clinics during COVID-19 Pandemic Using Timed Coloured Petri Nets," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(22), pages 1-18, November.
    11. Florin-Constantin Mihai & Ionut Minea, 2021. "Sustainable Alternative Routes versus Linear Economy and Resources Degradation in Eastern Romania," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(19), pages 1-23, September.
    12. Pantelitsa Loizia & Irene Voukkali & Georgia Chatziparaskeva & Jose Navarro-Pedreño & Antonis A. Zorpas, 2021. "Measuring the Level of Environmental Performance on Coastal Environment before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Case Study from Cyprus," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-24, February.
    13. Xuemeng Zhang & Chao Liu & Yuexi Chen & Guanghong Zheng & Yinguang Chen, 2022. "Source separation, transportation, pretreatment, and valorization of municipal solid waste: a critical review," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 24(10), pages 11471-11513, October.
    14. Jiang, Peng & Klemeš, Jiří Jaromír & Fan, Yee Van & Fu, Xiuju & Tan, Raymond R. & You, Siming & Foley, Aoife M., 2021. "Energy, environmental, economic and social equity (4E) pressures of COVID-19 vaccination mismanagement: A global perspective," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 235(C).
    15. Feroz Khan & Yousaf Ali, 2022. "Implementation of the circular supply chain management in the pharmaceutical industry," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 24(12), pages 13705-13731, December.
    16. Sina Shaffiee Haghshenas & Behrouz Pirouz & Sami Shaffiee Haghshenas & Behzad Pirouz & Patrizia Piro & Kyoung-Sae Na & Seo-Eun Cho & Zong Woo Geem, 2020. "Prioritizing and Analyzing the Role of Climate and Urban Parameters in the Confirmed Cases of COVID-19 Based on Artificial Intelligence Applications," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(10), pages 1-21, May.
    17. Madalina-Ioana BADILA & Ghita BARSAN & Danut-Eugeniu MOSTEANU & Benoni SFARLOG & Ruxandra MOSTEANU, 2018. "The Place Of Wics Model In The Governance Of An Automotive Systems Corporation," Proceedings of the INTERNATIONAL MANAGEMENT CONFERENCE, Faculty of Management, Academy of Economic Studies, Bucharest, Romania, vol. 12(1), pages 733-740, November.
    18. Milad Mohammadi & Alibakhsh Nikzad, 2023. "Sustainable and reliable closed-loop supply chain network design during pandemic outbreaks and disruptions," Operations Management Research, Springer, vol. 16(2), pages 969-991, June.
    19. Meghana Desai & Anuli Njoku & Lillian Nimo-Sefah, 2022. "Comparing Environmental Policies to Reduce Pharmaceutical Pollution and Address Disparities," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(14), pages 1-15, July.
    20. Chofreh, Abdoulmohammad Gholamzadeh & Goni, Feybi Ariani & Klemeš, Jiří Jaromír & Seyed Moosavi, Seyed Mohsen & Davoudi, Mehdi & Zeinalnezhad, Masoomeh, 2021. "Covid-19 shock: Development of strategic management framework for global energy," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 139(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:15:p:5439-:d:391080. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.