Study on Improving Medical Waste Disposal Charges in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Regarding prevention and control measures related to the COVID-19 pandemic, if healthcare workers are on the frontlines of the battlefield, there is also another, invisible battlefield on which the virus must be prevented from prevailing – the environmentally sound disposal of related medical waste. The charging system for medical waste disposal varies around the world, and the typical case chosen for this research is China’s medical waste disposal. In contrast to many Western countries that chose to adopt co-existent strategies for combating the COVID-19 pandemic, China chose to adopt a more centralized policy, including PCR testing on a community basis, a home-based quarantine method, and government-managed quarantine centers, which led to producing much more medical waste than ever before. However, China does not apply a national standard for medical waste disposal charges, and each local government has different charge systems and management regulations. There are differences in charging methods, management systems, and the nature of medical institutions in the implementation of the charging system. Given the actual situation, the paper puts forward feasible suggestions for government policy at the hospital and technology levels.