The coronavirus crisis is a world-changing event. It’s impossible to know what will happen next. But it’s possible to consider the lessons of the past, both distant and recent, and on that basis, to think constructively about the future. OYE –– Organization for Youth & Elderly, is one of the fastest-growing youth-driven organizations in India, with the vision of bringing a positive impact in the nation and being a strong helping hand the society needs.

The virus that causes COVID-19 is mainly transmitted through droplets generated when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or exhales. These droplets are too heavy to hang in the air, and quickly fall on floors or surfaces. The coronavirus can live for three days on some surfaces, like plastic and steel. It does poorly on copper, surviving four hours. In an attempt to minimize the COVID-19 impact, OYE has successfully launched and installed its first incinerator at Kasturba Hospital in Mumbai on April 20th, 2020. This incinerator is designed for the treatment and disposal of countless surgical and N95 respirator masks and other medical gears that are used to protect ourselves from the novel coronavirus.

As per the recent studies, Bio-medical waste is expected to grow at a CAGR of 8.14% and people in India are likely to generate about 775.5 tonnes of waste per day by 2022. With the vast majority of waste ending up in overflowing landfills, OYE’s initiative and the new design will not only be helpful in the disposal of the medical waste but also taking care of other waste management issues like disposal of sanitary waste, diapers and adult diapers, that can lead to potential health and environmental hazards.

Waste disposal is a worldwide issue, but it’s more evident in India because of the unorganized ways(methods) of waste management in the cities and villages. During the current pandemic situation, when the usage of masks, gloves, and other protective gears is common and increasing, the disposal of these safety gear is of great concern and importance. OYE’s designed Incinerator uses combustion to make waste less harmful (sterilizes waste), reduce the volume of waste, and change the nature of waste from solids to ash that can be more easily disposed of. Residue ash from proper incineration can be collected and disposed of in designated ash pits or controlled landfills without any major risk.

This incinerator will be a robust solution in the treatment of all medical gears, as hospitals and locals continue to use and discard safety gear in the coming weeks and months unless the viral outbreak abates. The masks are made of polypropylene, which takes a long time to break down in the environment. Hence, it’s important to treat and dispose of these gears safely. Moreover, improper disposal of bio-medical waste can result in the spread of diseases.

To make this initiative successful the idea was first proposed by the OYE’s Chief Advisor Mr. Abhay Munagekar and Founder Mr. Siddhant Mohite along with the support of Chief Operating Officer Aditi Bairolu.

OYE strongly believes “Together we can do great things” and fight back any setbacks. We strive to spread awareness and fight this battle against waste disposal and its unethical management. We are working closely with our incinerator manufacturing partners to make sure we are able to install many such incinerators at other hospitals, corporations, different organizations, and baby care arenas for sustainable waste management.

Tanya Mishra

Core Team Member