Generation of waste personal protective equipment (PPE) related to COVID-19 using quantitative forecasting technique

With the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic worldwide, lifestyles have totally changed and the characteristics of waste generation have also changed accordingly. Among the various wastes related to COVID-19, waste personal protective equipment (PPE), which was used to prevent infection of COVID-19, can be an indirect route for the infection of COVID-19. Hence, it requires proper management with estimating waste PPE generation. In this study, the estimation of generation amount of waste PPE in consideration of lifestyle and medical practice is proposed by quantitative forecasting technique. In the quantitative forecasting technique, the generation source of waste PPE consisted of household and test/treatment of COVID-19. For case study in Korea, the amount of waste PPE generated from household is evaluated by applying the quantitative forecasting technique reflecting the population and measures in lifestyle due to COVID-19. Also, the estimated amount of waste PPE generation from test and treatment of COVID-19 was evaluated to have a meaningful reliability compared with other observed values. This quantitative forecasting technique can estimate the amount of waste PPE generation related to COVID-19 and develop safe management measures for waste PPE in many other countries by modifying country-specific lifestyles and medical practices.