Airplane and quarantine waste disposal have become even more important because of the Coronavirus
11-03-2020
The relation between the coronavirus and quarantine waste disposal
It’s no wonder the coronavirus has been getting so much coverage in the news: this public health issue is already affecting more than 80 countries around the world. As of 10th March, the coronavirus statistics are the following: 116 038 people have been infected, and 4089 people have died of their symptoms. Still, these aren’t the only numbers that deserve your attention. The bright news is that there are 64 277 people who have recovered from the virus.
Still, no matter the amount of time and energy you put into researching the symptoms and the spread of the virus, your primary focus should always be on prevention. One of the main risks of transmission (as with every epidemic) is through airplane travel, which is also why some airports have doubled their efforts to make health checks on passengers who may have come into contact with the virus. Several quarantines have also been imposed on people who have been diagnosed with the coronavirus, or may pose a health risk to other people, as the incubation period (the time between infection and the appearance of the first symptoms) ranges from 1 to 14 days.
Since the primary mode of transmission is via the so called “respiratory droplets” that people breathe out (meaning coughing or sneezing),it means that any and all surface that comes into contact with these droplets can become infectious waste and lead to further cases of infections: if someone touches a phone, a table, or even a food package, and then touches his/her eyes, nose, or mouth, it could very well lead to that person coming down with the virus.
Because of the health risk related traffic airplanes, airports, and quarantines have to handle, finding effective solutions to handle infectious waste disposal is a growing concern for many. For the reasons we described before, almost anything in the vicinity of people who may have the virus can become infectious waste. Which is why it is especially important for airports and quarantines to have the best possible on-site equipment for waste disposal: they will all need to find a safe and effective solution to get rid of potentially hazardous waste, so the virus cannot spread further this way.
Airline and cabin waste disposal has always been an issue
It is also important to note, that while the need for safe airplane/airport (and by extension, quarantine) waste disposal has indeed become a more critical issue with the coronavirus outbreak, it has always been an environmental and economic problem for airlines.
From an environmental point of view, the main issue stems from the fact, that even in 2020, huge amounts of plastic, food, and medical waste still end up in landfills or incinerators. While incinerators do indeed destroy any trace of infectious waste, they put a lot more burden on our world than other, more modern solutions, which do not emit any harmful substances. Waste transportation and logistics also complicates the issue, and during times of an epidemic like the coronavirus, there is always a risk of the virus spreading more easily.
This is also why Celitron believes in offering on-site solutions, that can solve the problem of infectious waste before the final transportation and disposal occurs. Adapting new, more sustainable solutions could also greatly help airlines to strengthen their image and credibility when it comes to corporate social responsibility, and being eco-conscious.
Apart from harming environment, the other main problem with current solutions, is simply the fact that they cost the airlines a huge amount of money. According to IATA (International Air Transport Association),in 2017 alone, the 5.7 million tons of cabin waste produces by the airline industry cost the sector 927 million USD. Moreover, this certainly isn’t a problem that will get better with time: with the current passenger growth being 7.6% per year, airline and cabin waste could quite possibly double in the next 10 years!
This is also calls for solutions that are not only more sustainable than the current ones, but also more cost-effective in the long run, just like Celitron’s on-site ISS, which we will describe in the next paragraphs!
How to make sure airplane and quarantine waste disposal goes safely
At Celitron, as a company who has already provided biomedical solutions in over 80 countries around the world, we have acquired an immense know-how about the disposal of infectious waste and the sterilization of medical equipment. In the case of highly hazardous waste, like those leaving the quarantines and the airports, it is essential to find a way to make the waste completely and utterly sterile.
In medical fields, one of the most modern solution you find is an autoclave. An autoclave basically works (and looks like) a pressure cooker, and uses very high pressure and temperature steam to sterilize medical tools and waste. However, despite the effectiveness of autoclaving, in the case of hazardous or highly infectious waste, we recommend using a different kind of equipment. Something that builds even further on the benefits of steam sterilization.
This machine is none other, than the ISS, which stands for Integrated Sterilizer and Shredder. This machine essentially combines the capabilities of an autoclave and a medical waste shredder, making it the ideal tool for airplane, airport, and quarantine waste disposal. The entire process of the machine is automated, meaning you won’t even have to close or open the door of the ISS. With its powerful crushing blades, it not only reduces the volume of the waste inside by 80%, it also enables the steam inside the chamber to achieve an even more effective sterilization, since it can get to even the smallest part of the load you put inside.
After the process is over, it doesn’t matter if the airplane or quarantine waste was in contact with the coronavirus: the “end-product” you get out of the ISS is guaranteed to be sterile, and can be disposed of like any other kind of regular waste.
If you’re looking to know more about our solution for airplane and quarantine disposal, you can find all the details about the ISS and its technical specifications RIGHT HERE!