Impact of Pharmaceutical Waste Generation and Handling on Environmental Health in Developing Countries: COVID – 19 Pandemic in Perspective!

Abstract

The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the novel Covid-19 pandemic currently ravaging the world as a global mishap due to its wide-spreading across different nations. As the number of confirmed cases continues to increase daily, there will be a great need for the delivery of pharmaceutical palliatives to developing nations for them to manage the situation. Most pharmaceutical supplies used in many developing countries such as test kits and protective suits are a complex mixture of toxic and non-degradable compounds that are improperly disposed into open dump sites. The increase in Covid-19 cases and strategic attention to grapple will lead to multiple waste generation problems, thereby posing another health risk if not properly handled and disposed. In this review, we have highlighted the composition, categories, and hazards associated with pharmaceutical wastes and also appraised the current disposal practices and recommended some appropriate disposal methods of these associated wastes

Keywords: Pharmaceutical wastes, Hazardous materials, Covid-19, Health risk, Waste handling