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

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 Mishra is 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.

A brief Introduction on Covid- 19 waste generation.- Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): as a potential source of microplastic pollutants in the environment.- Adverse effect of these emerging pollutants on environment.- Source, transport and accumulation of COVID-19-associated biomedical wastes on in the aquatic and terrestrial Environment.- Water contamination and management during COVID-19 pandemic.- Global Biomedical Waste generation and management system during Covid -19 pandemic.- Challenges, opportunities, and strategies for effective solid waste management during and post COVID-19 pandemic.- Advanced technology for sustainable management of biomedical Waste generated during COVID-19 pandemic situation.- Possible innovative solutions to tackle the pollution associated with Covid-19 pandemic.- Sustainable Management of Covid-19 waste through circular economy.