WORKING PAPER

Committee: UNEP
Country/Allotment: JAPAN
Agenda: The Disposal and Adverse Repercussions of Covid-19 generated bio-medical waste
on the Ecosystem
28April
A. Cause and Impact of Bio Medical Waste
 Most of the countries relying on landfill disposal and disposing waste in oceans directly
which are the traditional approach. As most of the Asian countries using an anaerobic
landfill approach where they directly dumping their wastes in the landfill and burned
openly. But Japan used a semi- anaerobic landfill approach. Under this Japan, after
using a particular land and when its role as a landfill complete after a certain period of
time, Japan used this land for a sports stadium and parks. In the research of
Fukuoka University, it is found that the semi- anaerobic approach causes no
environmental pollution. Using land for a certain time causes less pollution.
 Secondly most of the Biomedical waste consist of plastic which is very difficult to
recycle. But japan has sufficiently handled the collected waste of plastic in its country.
Because of efficient technology of thermal recycling under the 3R approach (Reduce,
Recycle, Reuse) where up to 84% of recycle of plastic can be possible.
 Before pandemic hospitals generate large amount of medical waste in which 75% to
90% waste is general, non-hazardous such as plastic and paper. This waste can be
processed through regular procedure and does not requires any special handling under
normal condition. But in pandemic all waste generated within treatment facilities
should be considered as medical waste due to covid highly infectious nature and should
be collected and disposed of with additional care and precaution. In japan due to this
process is little delayed but in other countries because of waste mixing process creates
a lot of problem- Firstly due to limited availability and accessibility of treatment and
disposal options. Secondly availability and distribution of disposal facilities are also
not evenly distributed within the countries.
29April
A. General Solutions for handling the Biomedical Waste
 Under waste disposal law of 2003 of Japan, the disposal practice of waste from medical
institutions are handled by the private contractors. Where medical institutions come in
contract with private contractors for collecting the waste and for transporting the waste
to waste management yards on its own expense. By this waste management process is
very fast and create competition in the market that which party is more efficiently
disposed the waste. Secondly the hospitals are also very responsible because if they by
their own no throwing infectious waste into infectious bin box and general waste in
general bin box and mixed both these wastes so they will be charged high by the private
parties. Japan wants that this approach should be adopted in other developing countries
because managing waste by government workers is not much responsible leads to
corruption and make process delayed.
 Japan has also categorised all its waste into 20 different categories in which biomedical
waste divided into 10 categories. This approach is followed under the guideline of 2009
measures for waste management after new strain of Influenza.
 Japan has followed Multi Mobility System for collecting the waste. Multi mobility
system used for waste disposal and segregation. Here automatic garbage bins collect
the waste where vehicle is capable of self-driving and remote control. By which we can
save our workers from infection during collecting the Covid-19 waste.
 Japan wants to implement proper assessment idea in its city. As every hospital and
every city has a different character and infrastructure. Secondly, the people lifestyle is
also different like in one city, citizens considering their duty to collect waste but in
some city’s citizens are negligent. So, after proper assessment and data analysis
considering the city infrastructure and people mindset for example if we will make laws
like in some city’s penalties or fine based laws while in other cities only guidelines. So,
it will be a more permanent solution. Proper assessment of a particular city is more
effective. Because one law for the whole country is not an effective one. Japan will also
help to implement these ideas at the international level.
 Japan wants to recommend that those specified business entities or medical institutions
that use plastic can fulfil their obligation through paying recycling fees. Secondly, to
curb and combat environmental pollution by plastics, there is need for realistic policies
which must be properly followed and enforced. This should include the need for global
convention on environmental pollution by plastic to mandate plastic procedures.
B. Solutions for Fund Allocation
 Japan wants to point out that directly giving funds to Less developed countries is not
good approach because it is difficult for them to properly knowing the working of that
technology which is used in my country. Same as if any other country using any new
technology so it is difficult for my country to know the proper working of that particular
technology. So first send the trained expertise of that technology and then provide funds
to them. By this those countries who will get funds, will able to properly use those funds
after the proper guidance. Japan has adopted this approach in 2019 where a city in japan
Kitakyush known as “Eco Town of Japan” signed an agreement with UNEP for sending
their expertise to other cities around Asia and Pacific.