ENVIRONMENTAL–LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE-LEGAL ASPECTS OF MEDICAL WASTE DISPOSAL

The article analyzes the environmental, legal and administrative aspects of medical waste disposal during the Covid‑19 pandemic in Ukraine. The substantiation of priorities of improvement of ecological-­legal and administrative-­legal main‑ tenance of procedure of utilization of medical waste during the Covid‑19 pandemic is presented. It is emphasized that the state takes a number of measures to reduce mortality from this disease, while increasing the negative impact on the environment of medical waste generated as a result of vaccination, disease prevention, diagnosis, inpatient treatment of this disease. Their uncontrolled disposal together with household waste has a negative impact on the environment, polluting land and water resources, is a dangerous source of infection. It is established that the environmental, legal and administrative support of the medical waste disposal procedure during the Covid‑19 pandemic is related to the formation of the regulatory framework for medical waste management, including collection, transportation, storage, sorting, processing (processing), disposal, removal, and effective activities of public administration and law enforcement agencies to monitor this process. The facts of successful counteraction of such bodies to illegal activity concerning transportation, storage, utilization of medical waste are emphasized. It was found that many problems in this area are due to insufficient funding of the medical sector. The need to implement effec‑ tive administrative and legal measures, especially control and supervision of economic entities for the disposal of medical waste, to regulate in detail the procedure for medical waste disposal, to devote an important place to this issue in the National Environ‑ mental Action Plan until 2025, approved by the order of the Cabinet of Ministers of April 21, 2021 № 443‑r and to strengthen the administrative liability of licensed organizations for the provision of medical services for violations in this area. It is recognized that in such conditions it is extremely important to adapt EU legislation on medical waste disposal to Ukrainian realities.