MANILA, Philippines — Incinerating waste produced in the care of patients with the new coronavirus disease, or COVID-19, is only an option for a “worst-case scenario” being considered by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). He made the clarification in response to the nonprofit environmental group EcoWaste Coalition, which urged the DENR to scrap the memo. Looking at ‘bigger health care wastes’Antiporda added that the DENR was also being “proactive” with the memo, saying that it was looking at “bigger health care wastes in the future,” considering the rising number of COVID-19 cases. So we’re trying to look at bigger health care wastes in the future,” Antiporda said, speaking partly in Filipino. “So now, since that’s what we’re seeing now, we’re trying to explore each and every option, if in case our waste problem becomes worse — especially in this case, because [the waste] is infectious,” he added.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer April 18, 2020 15:45 UTC