Plastic Pollution during COVID-19

Written By: Farkhunda

During COVID-19, due to the social distancing and travel restrictions, the air quality has improved significantly. UNCTAD estimates that greenhouse gas emissions were 5% lower in 2020 compared to 2019. In addition, wildlife imports and exports have also been reduced drastically. For instance, Vietnam banned its wildlife imports and shut down wildlife markets. However, this good news cannot be applied to our oceans. Ocean pollution was already a major problem before the onset of COVID-19, and plastics are a huge threat to the oceans. According to OceanAsia, a Kong Kong-based non-governmental organization (NGO), 300 million tons of plastic are produced globally every year. 80 million tons of it enter the oceans, causing a serious threat to marine wildlife and the ecosystem. Estimates show that by 2050 there will be more plastics than fishes in the oceans (by weight).

Showing plastic gloves, masks, and other wastes off

Furthermore, the production and sales of disposable face masks have increased greatly from $800 million in 2019 to $166 billion in 2020, which is an advantage for the companies but not for our environment. Another source estimates that every month 129 billion masks and 65 billion gloves are used during the COVID-19 pandemic. If all these masks are stitched together they would have the same area as Switzerland. However, face masks and gloves are not the only sources of plastic pollution. Social distancing has led people to shop online and takeout food and the packages of these items have led to increased use of plastic. For instance, during the first eight weeks of lockdown in Singapore, an additional 1,470 tons of plastic waste was disposed of by 5.7 million residents.

Why are face masks and plastic harmful?

Plastics are made by a process called polymerization or polycondensation from natural materials such as coal, salt, natural gas, cellulose, and crude oil. Although plastics are made of natural materials, it cannot be degenerated by decomposers. Thus, plastic never decomposes but it shrinks into tiny pieces called microplastics. Plastics have a lifespan of approximately 450 years.

Face masks include the use of plastic in their production which is usually made of polypropylene (PP), and more expensive face masks are made of polyacrylonitrile (PAN) and polyurethane (PUR). As plastics never degrade it becomes the food of animals in the ocean and seabirds which causes injuries and even death. In addition, animals in the ocean can mistakenly eat gloves and masks for jellyfish because of its elastic components which again leads to their death. Moreover, plastic is not only harmful to marine animals but also for us; various studies show that there is a relationship between health problems in humans and consuming fish containing microplastics.

There are other potential harms, such as the chemicals in plastics that can be absorbed by humans which can cause mutations and alter the genes, and plastics can be ingested by marine animals poisoning and injuring them. Plastics also drain their hazardous chemicals in groundwater, and since plastics are made of oil, it can consume 4% oil production.

Solutions

To reduce the risks of plastic pollution during COVID-19, everyone should cook food at home, purchase takeout food with more sustainable packagings, use reusable face masks, disposing of face masks and plastic bags correctly, have their online shopping be delivered in paper bags or cardboard boxes (can be recycled), and other shopping can be done with a cloth bag.

Edited By: Happy

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Bibliography:

Ford, Dave. “COVID-19 Has Worsened the Ocean Plastic Pollution Problem.” Scientific American, Scientific American, 17 Aug. 2020, www.scientificamerican.com/article/covid-19-has-worsened-the-ocean-plastic-pollution-problem/ Accessed 21.08.2020

Growing Plastic Pollution in Wake of COVID-19. 27 July 2020, unctad.org/en/pages/newsdetails.aspx?OriginalVersionID=2440. Accessed 21.08.2020

Karol Konyn. “Another Side Effect of COVID-19: The Surge in Plastic Pollution.” Earth.Org , 6 July 2020, earth.org/covid-19-surge-in-plastic-pollution/. Accessed 21.08.2020

Knoblauch, Jessica A. “Plastic Not-So-Fantastic: How the Versatile Material Harms the Environment and Human Health.” Scientific American, Scientific American, 2 July 2009, www.scientificamerican.com/article/plastic-not-so-fantastic/. Accessed 21.08.2020

Plastic gloves, masks, and other wastes off Antibern, southern France, May, 21, 22. Environmental Operation Mere Prope (Operation Clean Sea) https://www.news-journalonline.com/zz/news/20200609/more-masks-than-jellyfish-environmental-groups-worry-about-coronavirus-waste-in-oceans. Accessed 21.08.2020