Pilot Study: Plastic and Biomedical Waste Management during the COVID-19 pandemic in Surat and Delhi

Plastic- and biomedical waste management systems were essential tools to limit the spread of COVID-19. Under Project INOPOL, the pilot study ‘Plastic and Biomedical Waste Management during the COVID-19 pandemic in Delhi and Surat’ examined the effects of global pandemic on the plastic and biomedical waste generation and management, and provided critical insights into the most stringent lockdown periods from March – July 2020 in Delhi and Surat. The objectives of the study were to understand its impacts on plastic/biomedical waste management systems and on the informal waste workers, assess ways to support ongoing efforts, propose tentative measures to assist the informal waste sector, and reduce risks from increased use of personal protective equipment/PPE. It is evident that access to appropriate safety measures of waste workers dealing with COVID-19 contaminated waste is crucial. The key findings suggested that the amount and rates of waste generation fell and that the income of informal waste collectors and recyclers in Surat and Delhi reduced significantly. The study gave valuable insights, and suggested necessary interventions to ensure that involved businesses, at various hierarchies, are not forced to close or go bankrupt due to the pandemic and are supported in the interim phase, as necessary.