The Central Environmental Authority (CEA) has issued a set of guidelines for the disposal of face masks and gloves used in isolated areas, houses and by the public for quarantine purposes, said Central Environmental Authority Chairman S.Samarasinghe.

He expressed these views at a media briefing held at the Central Environmental Authority yesterday (10).

The CEA Chairman said these series of guidelines have been issued to all Local Government bodies.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, PPE such as masks and gloves, which are disposed of by the Government inisolated areas as well as those people in self-quarantine, have been found to be highly harmful to the environment and public health.

Therefore, Environment Minister Mahinda Amaraweera instructed the Central Environmental Authority to prepare a programme for the proper disposal of such waste.

Accordingly, the Central Environmental Authority has introduced a new set of guidelines.

The guidelines include the disposal of people living in isolated areas, homes that have been quarantined, and masks and gloves used by the public to protect themselves from the COVID-19 virus in a way that does not harm the environment or public health.

It also instructed local authorities to deploy other vehicles and personnel to dispose of clinical waste, especially in isolated areas. And also, the masks and gloves used by COVID-19 infected people should be kept in yellow bags.

Garbage packed in yellow bags should never be used for recycling and steps should be taken to dispose of them properly. “Also, helmets and gloves commonly used by the public to protect from COVID-19 should be thoroughly washed and dried before disposal and should be disposed of thereafter,” Samarasinghe further added.

“Due to the prevailing carelessness in protecting the public, especially in disposing of this clinical contaminant, due to the current COVID-19 epidemic situation, it has also been found that the COVID-19 virus is highly susceptible to re-entry into the environment,” he added.