Helping hands solve medical waste problem

Since Jan 30, Wang Chunshan, chairman of Hubei Zhongyou Youyi Environmental Protection Technology Co, in Xiangyang, Hubei, about 350 kilometers from Wuhan, has organized 85 employees and 40 vehicles to help the provincial capital dispose of medical waste.

Wang's company is just one of those outside Wuhan to offer assistance.

After returning to Xiangyang from Wuhan on Feb 15, Wang used the company's website to post an article he wrote, sharing his thoughts on the epidemic with his employees.

"As we can see, the outbreak is effectively being brought under control as the result of tireless efforts by many people who are fighting the battle on the frontline, particularly thousands of medics from around the country who are racing against time to save lives," Wang wrote.

He praised his employees' work as volunteers to help Wuhan out of difficulties, and said their dedication, like that of the countless medical workers, would help the city return to normal at an early date.

The arrival of more assistance and support has greatly eased the burden Wuhan faced in disposing of medical waste. As of Feb 24, the city's daily disposal capacity for such waste was 262.8 metric tons, according to the Ministry of Ecology and Environment.

Liu Zhigang, director of the infections management office at Wuhan No.1 Hospital, focuses on safety in the process of collecting, storing and transferring medical waste.

"Such waste can harm people's health, especially when reinfection and environmental pollution occur as a result of improper handling," Liu said.

He added that as novel coronavirus pneumonia is spread via airborne droplets, there is the possibility that it might also be easily transmitted through physical contact. "As a result, we must take measures to manage medical waste to ensure there is no chance of spreading the virus," he said.