This is the News in Brief from the United Nations 

Healthcare waste from COVID threatens environment: WHO 

Tens of thousands of tonnes of medical waste generated by the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, has put “tremendous strain” on the environment and healthcare waste management systems, a new report from the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday. 

The new analysis says the volume of mostly plastic and chemical waste, threatens human and environmental health everywhere, and exposes “a dire need” to improve waste management practices. 

Authors say the study based on one specific shipment of 87,000 tonnes of personal protective equipment (PPE) doesn’t take into account waste generated by the public, such as disposable masks. 

They point out that 140 million test kits, including 731,000 litres of chemical waste have been shipped so far, while more than eight billion doses of vaccine have been administered, producing 144,000 tonnes of additional waste. 

Myanmar: Rights expert urges stronger international action one year after coup 

Turning now to Myanmar, where a new and stronger course of international action is needed one year into the military coup, according to the UN independent expert on the human rights situation in the country, Tom Andrews. 

In a video released on Tuesday, the first anniversary of the coup, he urged governments to “take strong, meaningful steps to cut the junta’s access to weapons, funds and legitimacy.”   

The video also features the voices of some of the people whose lives have been upended by the takeover, such as a man who has gone into hiding after a warrant was issued for an arrest.  

His family, including young children, was subsequently abducted and imprisoned. 

The UN continues to push for a peaceful resolution to the crisis in Myanmar.

On Monday, UN Special Envoy Noeleen Heyzer said although violence and brutality have only intensified, a “window of opportunity” still exists to build on the country’s “unique unity across religious, ethnic and communal lines.” 

UN condemns latest DPRK missile launch 

UN Secretary-General António Guterres has condemned the launch of a possible intermediate-range ballistic missile by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Sunday, his Spokesperson said in a statement. 

The move breaks the country’s moratorium announced in 2018 on these launches and is a violation of UN Security Council resolutions. 

“It is of great concern that the DPRK has again disregarded any consideration for international flight or maritime safety,” the statement said. 

The UN chief urged the country, more commonly known as North Korea, to desist from taking “any further counter-productive actions”. 
 
Dianne Penn, UN News.