Question : Guidelines for Use and Disposal of Face Mask

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Government had issued any guidelines on quality standards, use and disposal of face mask for general public, doctors and other frontline workers during lockdown, if so, the details thereof;
(b) the details of increase in production capacity of PPE in the country since the beginning of lockdown;
(c) whether many poor people reused the disposed face masks during lockdown, especially in Tamil Nadu; and
(d) the steps being taken by the Government on burning/deep burial of used face masks/medical kits across the country, including Tamil Nadu?

ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND
FAMILY WELFARE
(SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)
(a) Ministry of Health & Family Welfare in its guidelines on rational use of personal protective equipment (PPE) has issued specifications and standards to be followed for Personal Protective Equipment including medical mask for use by healthcare workers and other front-line workers. These specifications are available in public domain through the website of Ministry of Health & Family Welfare.
Government of India has also issued advisory & manual on use of homemade protective cover for face & mouth for use by general public.
(b) From no indigenous manufacturer to begin with, 1100 indigenous manufacturers of PPE kits have been developed by the Government till date, most of them being from MSME sector. As per the current assessment, the production capacity of PPE coveralls is nearly 5 lakh per day with potential for additional capacity creation to meet demand.
(c) No such report has been received in Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India. Health is a State subject and States need to follow the detailed guidelines for bio-medical waste management as already issued.
(d) Central Pollution Control Board, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has issued guidelines for handling, treatment and disposal of waste generated during treatment/diagnosis/ quarantine of COVID-19 patients both in facility based and home settings