Wasted COVID protective gear piles up as states trash expired stockpiles
Hospitals across the United States are facing a surplus of expired personal protective equipment (PPE) as the COVID-19 pandemic continues. States like Rhode Island and Maryland have had to dispose of or recycle tons of unused gear, while Ohio auctioned off hundreds of thousands of gowns and discarded millions more items. The unpredictable duration of the crisis led to the accumulation of these supplies, which now pose a waste management challenge and have cost Ohio approximately $29 million in federal funds. Frustration arises from the fact that these once-coveted items are now going to waste instead of being used as intended.