An unfortunate outcome of the Coronavirus pandemic is mounting medical waste. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data, India has generated 18,006 tonnes of COVID-19 biomedical waste in the last four months, with Maharashtra contributing the maximum (3,587 tonnes). Around 5,500 tonnes of COVID-19 waste was generated across the country in September—the maximum for a month so far.

Concerned by the figures, the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) has stressed on the need to halt the spread of Coronavirus through all possible infection channels, including from contact with or mismanagement of infectious waste. The UNIDO representative in India Dr René Van Berkel says, "COVID-19 biomedical waste includes PPE kits, masks, shoe covers, gloves, human tissue, items contaminated with blood, body fluids like dressings, plaster casts, cotton swabs, beddings contaminated with blood or body fluid, blood bags, needles, syringes, etc. These need to be carefully segregated, transferred and then incinerated."