Used masks should be kept in paper bags for 72 hours before disposal: Pollution board

Infected or not, masks and gloves that have been used should be cut and kept in paper bags for a minimum of 72 hours before disposing off, said the latest guideline issued by pollution watchdog Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

“Discarded PPEs from the general public at commercial establishments, shopping malls, institutions, offices, etc. should be stored in a separate bin for three days, thereafter, disposed of as dry general solid waste after cutting/shredding,” the Central Pollution Control Board said.

The board has also directed people to collect left-over food and empty water bottles used by the infected patients along with the general solid waste instead of the bio-medical waste.

“Leftover food, empty juice bottles or tetra packs, empty water bottles, packaging material, and any other items, generated or handled by COVID-19 patient should be collected along with other general solid waste in bags securely tied for handing over to waste collectors. Yellow coloured bag should not be used for general solid waste,” it said.

As per the CPCB guidelines, Yellow bags are recommended for collecting bio-medical waste from COVID-19.

The isolation wards have been directed to use colour coded bins to segregate waste. Red bag has been dedicated to the collection of bio-medical waste from isolation wards. This is the fourth guideline issued by CPCB regarding bio-medical waste management since the COVID-19 outbreak.