Impact of COVID-19 Waste on Environmental Pollution and Its Sustainable Management

This book focuses on challenges that have arisen because of trash discharges and their potential causes and provides long-term sustainable solutions. Globally, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused immense devastation, leading to numerous fatalities as well as substantial economic losses and health issues. With the rise in COVID-19 cases, the amount of biomedical waste has multiplied, exposing more people to the epidemic. For develo** countries, waste management is already a problem, and the waste generated during this pandemic situation has made things worse. If improper waste management techniques are not changed, the world will face a new crisis that could be referred to as a "garbage crisis." The increased quantity of COVID-19-associated waste (CAW) and their presence in the environment make them more vulnerable, potentially increasing the danger of food chain contamination. A few countries have already started putting emergency plans in place to address the “waste crisis.” Given the paucity of information on the mutational features and potential hosts of this newly discovered COVID-19, there is a pressing need for an effective plan to protect India's ecosystem against further contamination. To handle the current crisis and prevent the anticipated waste disaster, it is imperative to construct a more effective, automated, computerized, and well-modified waste management system during the COVID-19 period. 

Dr. Alok Prasad Das is presently serving as an assistant professor in Department of Life Sciences, Rama Devi Women’s University, Odisha, India. He is an academician and an author of several books, journal articles and an editorial member of several reputed journals. He has more than 15 years of research experience. His area of expertise includes wastewater treatment, environmental microbiology, environmental pollution and management, microplastic and microfiber pollution, bioremediation for sustainable solutions. He is the editor of 10 books in Springer, Elsevier, and CRC Press. He has published more than 100 research and review articles in international journals of repute. He is an active lead guest editorial board member in top-rated journals. His current Google Scholar: Citations is 2740 and h-index 29. He is also listed in the world ranking of top 2 percent scientists for 2023, drawn up by Stanford University of USA on the basis of subject-wise analysis.

Ms. Sunanda Mishrais presently pursuing her Ph.D. research work in the Department of Botany, College of Basic Science and Humanities, Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT), Bhubaneswar. The topic of her research work is “Development of microbial remediation technology for the treatment of synthetic microfiber pollutants.” She has completed her Master’s in Botany, from Department of Botany, College of Basic Science and Humanities, Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT) and M.Phil. from department of Life Science from Rama Devi Women’s University, Bhubaneswar. She has 7 years of research experience and published several book chapters, scientific articles in various peer reviewed journals. Currently, her major work involves environmental detection of micro plastic and microfiber pollution along with their sustainable management, heavy metal pollution, and environmental biotechnological solutions.