How Can You Help Manage Increasing Amount of Plastic Waste in Time of Pandemic

With the COVID-19 pandemic hitting the country hard, there are several critical issues that the country needs to look into. Other than the health concerns, the lack of a proper waste management system will have major implications on everyone living in cities and towns. Since the onslaught of the disease, the country generated biomedical waste to over 33,000 tons, of which Delhi Maharashtra contributing a maximum of 3,578 tons as of Dec 2020. Other states leading in biomedical waste were Kerala (3,300 tonnes), Gujarat (3,086 tonnes), Tamil Nadu (2,806 tonnes), Uttar Pradesh (2,502 tonnes), Delhi (2,471 tonnes), West Bengal (2,095 tonnes), and Karnataka (2,026 tonnes). How can the cities and towns manage the bio-medical waste generation?

Biocrux joins the COVID-19 waste management initiative of the government by providing an end-to-end solution to recyclable plastic with its interactive plastic bottle recycling machines installed at various public places. An awareness of segregating the COVID waste, separating the household waste and the biomedical waste, is essential. Idea is to introduce a smart bin designed especially for the institutions generating biomedical waste- like hospitals, testing centers, etc. Such a bin would indicate segregation of biomedical COVID waste from other dry waste making it easier to deal with. This is possible with the COVID waste generated at dedicated care centers like home quarantine and non-healthcare establishments such as homes and hotels.

Sustainable Solutions: Reuse, Reduce and Recycle

Reuse: Here are some suggestions for reusing some things like masks if you are at home and not quarantined. How can you do it?

•  At home, use masks that can be washed with a disinfectant and reused a few times. However, remember that every mask has a limited life span and should not be used after 10-15 washes. Yet, this helps reduces the waste of biomedical masks which need to be thrown away after every few hours of use.
• Refill your handwash and sanitizer bottles instead of buying new ones. Refill them from a bigger pack, which will help reduce the collection of too many PET bottles.

Biocrux, at this crucial time, becomes a part of the waste management system and plays a major role in helping segregation of waste through its PET bottle recycling machines set at various points of consumption. You can be a part of it and reduce the burden of waste on the environment.

• Reuse the PET bottles and plastic bags by making innovative things like the hanging bottle garden, bird or pet feeders, kitchen containers, etc. If not drop the bottle in the machine to crush and cut it into flakes for recycling.

Reduce: There is no doubt that the COVID-19 pandemic has increased the amount of waste despite the guidelines issued by the Central Pollution Control Board (CBCP) according to the provisions under waste management rules.

• Avoid spending, if possible, on various types of disposables. Use containers with multiple compartments to carry your food and avoid using single-use aluminum foils or polythene wrappers to pack food.
• Buy cleaning supplies in bulk and use them in required quantities in refillable plastic containers.

Recycle: There are many items that you can recycle to use again. During the COVID-19 home isolation, support recycling by investing money in products like backpacks, t-shirts, caps, etc., which are made out of recycled plastic. Join us to find Biocrux’s crushing and flaking machines in all the cities and towns across India.  Here are some suggestions to segregate and send waste for recycling during the home quarantine.

• Keep PET water bottles, bottles of cold drink, handwash bottles, etc. Find Biocrux’s plastic or PET bottle flaking machines https://biocrux.co.in/location used for crushing and flaking the bottles at public places like shopping malls, railway stations, restaurants, etc.
• Buy plastic recycled products like Biocrux offers T-shirts, caps, and backpacks made from recycled plastic and is skin-friendly.
• Turn the PET bottles into gardening pots, you can find multiple ways to do this on YouTube.

Managing COVID-19 waste is challenging, but together we can bring the change by staying safe and protecting ourselves and the environment. 

To know more, please check Biocrux.