Integrated Environmental Assessment of Medical Waste Management in the Kingdom of Bahrain

As a global concern, medical waste (MW) links public health, environmental pollution, and resource sustainability. This study aims to assess the two issues related to medical waste in Bahrain: the increasing generation rate of MW and its management. The integrated Environmental Assessment (IEA) methodology was adopted, including the DPSIR (Drivers, Pressures, State, Impact, Responses) framework, analysis of existing policies, and the outlook. Consequently, data were collected from official health statistics in Bahrain, and related policies for the last two decades (2001 to 2021) were also collected, in addition to interviews with Bahrain medical waste (BMW) treatment company. The results show a vast increase in medical waste during COVID-19. Moreover, most of the existing policies address the impact of the BMW issues, but the policies are lacking in tackling the drivers and pressures;there is also a policy gap related to the generation rate. Accordingly, a set of policies was proposed to overcome the two medical waste issues. Moreover, to overcome issues associated with MW, the study recommended reforming regulations aiming to reduce and manage medical waste efficiently in order to focus more on drivers and pressure causing an elevation in MW issues in Bahrain. © 2023 by the authors.

A review on the gendered impact of COVID-19 pandemic towards achieving sustainable development goals in Bangladesh: Ecofeminist perspectives on the response to COVID-19 pandemic.

In this article, we have reviewed how the women of Bangladesh are negatively exposed to the COVID-19 pandemic in terms of quality education, employment loss, labour market contribution, domestic violence, and health and wellness, thus putting their lives at more significant risk. We have employed the Drivers-Pressures-States-Impact-Response (DPSIR) framework to analyze the gendered effects of COVID-19 on some specific Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Bangladesh. We have purposively selected five SDGs, SDG 1 (no poverty), SDG 3 (good health and well-being), SDG 4 (quality education), SDG 5 (gender equality), and SDG 8 (decent work & economic growth), those have direct effects on women's livelihood and well-being. Our DPSIR framework analysis has shown that gendered vulnerabilities have been exacerbated due to the COVID-19 situation with multiple pre-existing socio-cultural norms and various state policies like patriarchal values, stay-home policies etc. As SDG 1 focuses on poverty reduction, and SDG 8 focuses on decent work and economic growth, unemployment, losing job opportunities and economic downturn due to the pandemic have slowed down national growth as well as increased poverty in the country. With excessive pressure on the health sector to deal with COVID-19, women's essential maternal, sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services were neglected and health disparities were also observed. Thus, many women and adolescent girls could not access SRH services when needed that led to a myriad of consequences for SDG 3 achievements. The prolonged shutdown of educational institutes resulted in mass school dropouts, mental health problems, and higher risks of child labour and child marriage among girl children which has significant negative impacts on the achievement of SDG 4. Due to COVID-19-related preventive measures, such as social distancing, and lockdown, women have been involved to do more care and household job following traditional gender roles, experienced work from home, and a 'shadow pandemic' domestic violence amidst the COVID-19. Consequently, the overall gender gap has increased (SDG 5). We have argued that the existing neoliberal market economy has failed to save the global society from a pandemic, therefore, it is important to rethink its development targets and indicators. Moreover, a paradigm shift is recommended by deconstructing present economic systems to build a resilient society based on the caring relationships among nature, humans, and society embracing an ecofeminist perspective.

Impacts of COVID-19 pandemic on the fisheries sector of Sri Lanka.

We empirically ascertained the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on fisheries sector of Sri Lanka, focusing on the year 2020 which helps identify changes in production and income of the sector. Daily wage and monthly income of stakeholders in the pre-pandemic period are well above the national minimum daily wage and monthly income of the workers in Sri Lanka. Defensive measures taken to curb rapid spread of COVID-19 have given a shock to all stakeholders of the sector. Health and safety measures imposed to avert the spreading of pandemic have compelled the stakeholders to incur extra costs. Study indicates significant impact of the pandemic on production and income of the stakeholders in the fisheries value chain. Comparison of total fish production during 2015-2020 confirms the impacts on the sector and, changes in fish production and income in 2020 completely coincide with COVID-19-time line. Severity of impacts is stakeholder and area specific. Fisheries districts in western province are highly impacted over the other districts. DPSIR framework captures the status of social system and unfolds existing problems in the sector, enabling decision-makers to take policy decisions for future actions. Government of Sri Lanka has taken several steps to revive the sector, and stakeholders have shown an adaptive capacity to cope with impacts of the pandemic. Present crisis in the sector is far from over and, short-term impacts are likely to be followed by long-term crises, thus measures should be taken to revive the sector in new normal conditions and the post-pandemic era.

Marine litter in the Red Sea: Status and policy implications.

The Red Sea's unique ecosystem is home to >1500 species. However, the presence of anthropogenic litter, whether from land-based or sea-based sources, may pose a potential risk to the Red Sea fauna and flora. This work analyzes marine litter in the Red Sea, utilizing the Drivers-Pressure-State-Impact-Response (DPSIR) framework to group findings in a survey of peer-reviewed studies. The review is further augmented with a survey of the current response, covering regional and national instruments. Although research addressing marine litter in the Red Sea is not as rich as for other seas, studies suggest marine litter is abundant and that the influx of litter is driven by recreational activity, fishing, and shipping. Moreover, the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the influx of marine litter to the Red Sea due to improper disposal of personal protective equipment (PPE). The response has intensified in recent years, with regional and national frameworks established and initiatives driven by Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs). We discuss whether the regional action plan addresses the specific concerns uncovered in marine litter studies while providing a comparison with plans of other regional seas.

Analysis of Marine Microplastic Pollution of Disposable Masks under COVID-19 Epidemic-A DPSIR Framework.

Marine microplastic pollution (MMP) is becoming one of the most pressing environmental problems facing humanity today. The novel coronavirus epidemic has raised the issue of environmental contamination caused by large-scale improper disposal of medical waste such as disposable masks (DMs). To assess the impact of MMP caused by DMs and to seek solutions for the prevention and control of MMP, this study uses the Driving force-Pressure-State-Impact-Response (DPSIR) framework to establish a causal chain of MMP caused by DMs. The conclusion shows that the novel coronavirus epidemic has led to a surge in the use of DMs, which has brought pressure on resource constraints and environmental pollution at the same time. Improperly DMs enter the environment and eventually transform into MMP, which not only endangers the marine ecological system but also poses potential human health risks as well as economic and social hazards. In addition, further research on environmentally friendly masks (cloth masks and biodegradable masks) is essential to mitigate the environmental damage caused by the large-scale global use of DMs. This study provides a scientific and theoretical basis for the assessment of MMP from discarded DMs, and the findings of this study will provide a reference for the formulation of relevant policies.

Factors in enhancing environmental governance for marine plastic litter abatement in Manila, the Philippines: A combined structural equation modeling and DPSIR framework.

This empirical study examines the factors enhancing environmental governance for marine plastic litter abatement in Manila, the Philippines. We use a combined covariance-based hybrid structural equation modeling (SEM) and DPSIR framework, with data collected via an online survey from 456 barangays in Manila, the Philippines. The survey was processed and analyzed using a combined model, validated through interviews and focused group discussions. With Higher-Order Model good internal consistency (0.917) and achieved measures of CFI (0.992), RMSEA (0.036), and SRMR (0.019), the findings revealed that environmental governance (COVID-19 waste), community participation, socio-economic factors, and solution measures have positively affected marine plastic litter (MPL) abatement. Notwithstanding, environmental governance (SWM policies and guidelines) has a negative impact on MPL abatement. There is, however, no link between waste infrastructure and MPL abatement. The findings provide significant perspectives in Manila to enhance environmental governance for MPL abatement. This paper presents policy-actions implications drawn from DPSIR-SEM.

A Meta-Analytic Framework for Developing Protocols to Attend Child and Adolescent Victims of Sexual Violence

Violence against children and adolescents is a global public health problem. In Brazil, there are challenging boundaries for professionals in the protection network in general and for health professionals in particular. Moreover, among other factors, there is the challenge of referral, due to weaknesses in decision making, given the nature of sexual violence and how it is managed by healthcare services. This study aims to propose a Meta-Analytic framework to support the referral of young victims of sexual violence, considering levels of severity, independent of factors such as how protection systems are structured and managed and the local laws in force. We propose a Meta-Analytic approach, developed using the fundamentals of Delphi and DPSIR (Drivers, Pressures, State, Impact, and Response Model of Intervention), from the perspective of Value-Focused Thinking. The Delphi method was structured in two stages: the first stage aimed to identify and classify typical cases of sexual violence;the second stage used the DPSIR model, with the aim of identifying the decision criteria for typical cases that occur in a given municipality. The main outcomes are: (i) the application of the modified Delphi participatory method within the context of local social policies;(ii) the construction of a value tree based on Value-Focused Thinking;and (iii) the identification and systematization of criteria that most interfere with the evaluation of cases of sexual violence, which can be used for multi-criteria decision making.

New insights into the DPSIR model: Revealing the dynamic feedback mechanism and efficiency of ecological civilization construction in China

Managing ecosystems is considered a "wicked problem" without clear solutions due to the limited understanding of complex ecosystems and social dynamics. In this study, a method based on the Driving forces–Pressures–State–Impacts–Responses (DPSIR) framework was developed to reveal the Ecological Civilization Construction (ECC) together with structural equation modeling (SEM), panel data model (PDM), coupling and coordination degree (CCD) model, and data envelopment analysis (DEA). The SEM reveals that component Responses as exogenous variables can better explain the DPSIR framework nexuses than Driving forces, indicating that environmental protection measures taken by Chinese government played a dominant role in ECC. ECC indexes (ECCI) of 30 Chinese provinces were 18–87% higher in 2019 than 2012, and the PDM demonstrates that temperature, precipitation, and GDP can explain about 87.2% of ECCI variation among 30 provinces. About 12–40% increase in CCD within the DPSIR framework were detected in 30 Chinese provinces in 2019 compared to 2012. The DEA suggests that China's ECC's average comprehensive and technical efficiencies were only 0.62 and 0.77 in 2019, respectively. Meanwhile, these results show that ECC remains to be strengthened and coordinated. Implications on ECC were proposed for some provinces. Overall, this study proposes a Response-driven pathway named RDPSI can explain the achievements and limitation factors in China's ECC. Also, our results emphasize the importance of integrating science and technology, policy formulation, and precise implementation to achieve sustainable development. • A new method for studying the dynamic relationship of the SES is developed. • A sustainable development pathway named RDPSI is proposed. • China has formed a SES of positive feedback cycle, but the system is unstable. • There are increasingly significant spatial correlation issues in 30 Chinese provinces. [ FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Journal of Cleaner Production is the property of Elsevier B.V. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full . (Copyright applies to all s.)

Assessing face masks in the environment by means of the DPSIR framework.

The use of face masks outside the health care facility dates back a century ago. However, face masks use noticeably soared due to the COVID-19 (Coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic. As a result, an unprecedented influx of discarded face masks is ending up in the environment. This review paper delves into face masks in the environment using the DPSIR (driving forces, pressures, states, impacts, and responses) framework to simplify and communicate the environmental indicators. Firstly, the historical, and briefly the economic trajectory of face masks are discussed. Secondly, the main driving forces of face masks use with an emphasis on public health are explored. Then, the pressures exerted by efforts to fulfill the human needs (driving forces) are investigated. In turn, the state of the environment due to the influx of masks along with the impacts are examined. Furthermore, the upstream, and downstream societal responses to mitigate the environmental damages of the driving forces, pressures, states, and impacts are reviewed. In summary, it has been shown from this review that the COVID-19 pandemic has been causing a surge in face mask usage, which translates to face masks pollution in both terrestrial and aquatic environments. This implies proper usage and disposal of face masks is paramount to the quality of human health and the environment, respectively. Moreover, further research on eco-friendly face masks is indispensable to mitigating the environmental damages occurring due to the mass use of surgical masks worldwide.

Application of short and rapid strategic environmental assessment (SEA) for biomedical waste management in Bangladesh

In this study a rapid and short Strategic environmental assessment (SEA) conducted to find the existing policy and legal gaps of biomedical waste management regulations during the COVID-19.15 Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) were taken from the regulatory bodies, public and private medical college hospitals, corporations, civil societies, and the third-party organization involved in medical waste management. A DPSIR framework and SWOT analysis shows that the existing biomedical waste management suffers from institutional conflicts, lack of monitoring, and environmental regulations. The revised rules must be implementable with “3-R policy”, and “polluter pays principle,” and environmental impact assessment guided by SEA.

COVID-19, poverty and inclusive development.

The COVID-19 epidemic provides yet another reason to prioritize inclusive development. Current response strategies of the global community and countries expose a low level of solidarity with poorer nations and poorer people in all nations. Against this background, this paper addresses the question: What are the development challenges that the COVID-19 pandemic lays bare and what lessons can be learnt for the way recovery processes are designed? Using an inclusive development and DPSIR lens to assess the literature, our study finds that, first, the current response prioritises the 'state' and 'impact' concerns of wealthier classes at the expense of the remainder of the world population. Second, responses have ignored underlying 'drivers' and 'pressures', instead aiming at a quick recovery of the economy. Third, a return to business-as-usual using government funding will lead to a vicious cycle of further ecological degradation, socio-economic inequality and domestic abuse that assist in exacerbating the drivers of the pandemic. We argue instead for an inclusive development approach that leads to a virtuous cycle by emphasizing human health, well-being and ecosystem regeneration. We conclude that the lost years for development did not commence in 2020 with the onset of COVID-19; the downward trend has actually been waxing over the past three decades. From this perspective, COVID-19 may be the shock needed to put the last first and transform vicious into virtuous cycles of inclusive development.

The role of ecosystems in mitigation and management of Covid-19 and other zoonoses.

There is rising international concern about the zoonotic origins of many global pandemics. Increasing human-animal interactions are perceived as driving factors in pathogen transfer, emphasising the close relationships between human, animal and environmental health. Contemporary livelihood and market patterns tend to degrade ecosystems and their services, driving a cycle of degradation in increasingly tightly linked socio-ecological systems. This contributes to reductions in the natural regulating capacities of ecosystem services to limit disease transfer from animals to humans. It also undermines natural resource availability, compromising measures such as washing and sanitation that may be key to managing subsequent human-to-human disease transmission. Human activities driving this degrading cycle tend to convert beneficial ecosystem services into disservices, exacerbating risks related to zoonotic diseases. Conversely, measures to protect or restore ecosystems constitute investment in foundational capital, enhancing their capacities to provide for greater human security and opportunity. We use the DPSIR (Drivers-Pressures-State change-Impact-Response) framework to explore three aspects of zoonotic diseases: (1) the significance of disease regulation ecosystem services and their degradation in the emergence of Covid-19 and other zoonotic diseases; and of the protection of natural resources as mitigating contributions to both (2) regulating human-to-human disease transfer; and (3) treatment of disease outbreaks. From this analysis, we identify a set of appropriate response options, recognising the foundational roles of ecosystems and the services they provide in risk management. Zoonotic disease risks are ultimately interlinked with biodiversity crises and water insecurity. The need to respond to the Covid-19 pandemic ongoing at the time of writing creates an opportunity for systemic policy change, placing scientific knowledge of the value and services of ecosystems at the heart of societal concerns as a key foundation for a more secure future. Rapid political responses and unprecedented economic stimuli reacting to the pandemic demonstrate that systemic change is achievable at scale and pace, and is also therefore transferrable to other existential, global-scale threats including climate change and the 'biodiversity crisis'. This also highlights the need for concerted global action, and is also consistent with the duties, and ultimately the self-interests, of developed, donor nations.