Browsing by Author "Akter, Rifat"

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DISSEMINATING THE BIOMEDICAL WASTE GENERATION SCENARIO DURING COVID-19
(AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF NURSING EDUCATION AND PRACTICE, 2021) Muhib, Md. Iftakharul; Akter, Rifat; Kabir, Md. Humaun; Rayhan, Md. Shamim; Khan, Md. Shawkut Ali
This study investigates the present COVID-19-related medical waste generation scenario and suggests a way forward from the perspective of lower-middle-income countries like Bangladesh. Bangladesh is a densely populated vulnerable country in the perspective of the COVID-19 induced biomedical waste management field. The pandemic COVID-19 has already created enormous instability in healthcare waste handling and subsequent recycling around the world. The medical waste management sector in Bangladesh is struggling and COVID-19 makes the situation even more complicated. A rigorous timeseries calculation was done to determine the facemask and medical waste load during COVID-19 in Bangladesh from March 8, 2020, to September 13, 2021 period. Results showed that about 1,58,10,400 pieces of facemask are disposed of alone in different urban areas which is equivalent to 517 tons of solid waste while extra 5,203 tons of biomedical waste is added every day to regular waste streams during this pandemic. The findings of this study suggest that these extra tons of hazardous waste threaten the aquaculture of the country and promote the risk of contagious diseases to the waste workers especially women and as well as at the community level. The findings also reveal that this pandemic has already created a hindrance to achieving the country’s SDGs by 2020.
RISK PRIORITIZATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS AND OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH SAFETY IN TEXTILE INDUSTRIES OF GAZIPUR INDUSTRIAL AREA, BANGLADESH
(CRIBFB, 2021) Muhib, Md. Iftakharul; Khan, Md. Shawkut Ali; Akter, Rifat
Though textile industries are the backbone of country's economy; it possesses the environmental and occupational health safety risks also. After the Rana Plaza tragedy, the environmental and occupational health safety regulations become started to come spotlight. However, still there found anomalies that threaten environmental and occupational health safety. So to get an overview of present risk levels in different industries, the aim of this study was set to evaluate the risk prioritization for both environmental aspects and occupational health safety. A total of 10 textile industries were selected and a direct field survey along with an interview from workers to top management was done to conduct the study. Risk assessment results for environmental aspects showed that water pollution shows a moderate risk rating value while air quality, soil quality, noise, waste generation, hazardous material handling, and miscellaneous use showed low risks. Again calculated results for occupational health safety showed that necessary action is recommended to avoid future risk in all-hazard categories of different types except for electrical hazards. Controlling measures were suggested in accordance with the risk priority. Thus it is high time to explore and evaluate the risk level and take necessary action on the resultant priority basis.