This can threaten the earth’s greenery and environmental sustainability if not managed properly, says deputy environment and water minister Ahmad Masrizal Mohamad.

He said these waste includes disposable plastics, rubber gloves and insulation gowns used by frontliners at health facilities, adding that the figure was in comparison with the amount in 2019, before the pandemic broke out.

“Clinical waste volume is projected to increase to 173.25 tonnes per month within the next 12 months if the pandemic continues.

“This is considered a significant figure that can threaten the earth’s greenery and environmental sustainability if not managed properly,” he said in a statement today.

He said the Department of Environment (DOE) and related agencies had taken steps to overcome the constraints in the efficiency of waste disposal, but there was still a backlog of clinical waste that needed to be disposed.

Masrizal said so far, 12 incinerators, four microwaves and one ozonator had been licensed nationwide to manage the “SW 404” scheduled waste, with a total capacity of 5,168 tonnes. This was still able to accommodate the current clinical waste generation of 4,394 tonnes.

He said the ministry also welcomed private health facilities interested in managing clinical waste in Malaysia to contact them.

To date, he said the operating hours and disposal capacity at the clinical material disposal plant had also been extended to accommodate the increase.

He said the ministry was also aware of the increase in waste in areas subjected to the enhanced movement control order (EMCO). This also required more thorough and organised waste management to prevent secondary infection among staff.

Masrizal said clinical waste would continue to increase if more people were infected with Covid-19.

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