Globally, safe waste management services for healthcare waste are lacking, especially in least developed countries. The latest available data (from 2019) indicate that 1 in 3 healthcare facilities globally do not safely manage healthcare waste. The COVID-19 pandemic has led to large increases in healthcare waste, straining under-resourced healthcare facilities and exacerbating environmental impacts from solid waste. This report aims to quantify the additional COVID-19 healthcare waste generated through the UN procurement system, describe current healthcare waste management systems and their deficiencies, and summarise emerging best practices and solutions to reduce the impact of waste on human and environmental health.
