COVID-19 Plastic Pollution Pandemic

Abstract

During the COVID-19 pandemic the world has rightly focused on controlling spread of the virus. This includes the widespread use of personal protective equipment (PPE). PPE includes use of disposal plastic face masks and gloves (Scientific American, 2020). However, PPE use during the COVID-19 pandemic has triggered an estimated global use of 129 billion face masks and 65 billion gloves every month. Much of this PPE ends up as mismanaged waste, resulting in widespread environmental contamination posing risks to public and environmental health. Concerns over the survival of the virus on contaminated surfaces has also triggered the reversal of policies to reduce single-use plastics in some regions. Whilst plastics have undoubtably helped in the prevention of COVID-19 transmission, the sudden increase in plastic waste due to the COVID-19 pandemic underlines the crucial need for innovation for sustainable plastic alternatives and to reinforce single-use plastic reduction policies.