Separate trash bins for used masks, protective gear sought

A Caloocan City councilor has urged barangay officials to set up common trash bins or designate areas where residents can dispose of their used face masks, face shields and other personal protective equipment (PPE) to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the community.

“The ‘new normal’ does not mean COVID-19 is completely gone. That’s why as early as now, we should start setting up common trash containers or designating isolated areas in barangays solely for the disposal of used face masks, face shields and other PPEs,” Councilor Vince Hernandez said in a statement on Sunday.

“We need to ensure that we contain these materials in a single place because they may still have the virus. Isn’t the purpose of face masks and face shields to prevent the virus from entering the nose or mouth?” he added. According to him, a strict policy must also be enforced to prohibit unauthorized persons from going near the designated areas and prevent community transmission of COVID-19.

Hernandez, president of the city’s Sangguniang Kabataan Federation and concurrent chair of the Caloocan Youth Development Council, said a separate disposal area for PPEs could also help prevent these from clogging drainage systems and causing floods during the rainy season.

Under Republic Act No. 9003, or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000, the state must “ensure proper segregation, collection, transport, storage, treatment and disposal of solid waste through the formulation and adoption of the best environmental practice in ecological waste management, excluding incineration.” INQ