Use, reuse, and waste management of single-use products associated with the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States

IF 3 4区环境科学与生态学 Q2 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES

Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management Pub Date : 2024-02-14 DOI:10.1002/ieam.4895

Monica I. Rodriguez Morris, Wissam Kontar, Andrea L. Hicks

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Abstract

Single-use product usage is not a new concern. However, during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, the use and disposal of single-use products, especially those related to managing the pandemic, rose to prominence. Reports of shortages—and at the same time litter formation arising from improper disposal of various pandemic-related materials such as gloves, masks, wipes, and food takeout containers—were frequently relayed. To address shortages, it was recommended that single-use products be reused in some instances. As these recommendations were widely adopted, it became essential to assess consumer preferences regarding single-use product usage. Aiming to fill that void, a survey was distributed to learn about single-use product usage, possible reuse of single-use products, and waste-management practices during the COVID-19 pandemic in the US. Respondents preferred reusable fabric masks followed by disposable surgical masks. A significant percentage of respondents answered that they would reuse a disposable mask and mostly selected rotating masks as the preferred “disinfection” method in between the reuse of single-use masks. Gloves were not used by most respondents whereas wipes and/or paper towels were used by more than half of respondents. Free-response answers were analyzed for common themes. Concerns related to pandemic-related product use and disposal, and food packaging or food preparation were observed in the free-response answers. This survey reveals that respondents perceived changes in their consumption and waste generation or perceived a change in the type of products consumed and discarded due to the pandemic. Overall, respondents expressed a preference for reuse and a concern over the increase in single-use products. Results of this study can be used to make projections on the consumption and reuse of single-use products in crisis scenarios. In addition, the data can be used to model the use and disposal phase in single-use product life-cycle assessments. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2024;20:1736–1746. © 2024 The Authors. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry (SETAC).

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美国与 COVID-19 大流行相关的一次性产品的使用、再利用和废物管理。

一次性产品的使用并不是一个新问题。然而，在 COVID-19 大流行的早期阶段，一次性产品的使用和处置，尤其是与管理大流行相关的一次性产品的使用和处置问题变得更加突出。有关产品短缺的报告，同时还有因各种与大流行相关的材料（如手套、口罩、湿巾和食品外卖容器）处置不当而形成垃圾的报告，经常被转发。为解决短缺问题，建议在某些情况下重复使用一次性产品。随着这些建议被广泛采纳，评估消费者对一次性产品使用的偏好变得至关重要。为了填补这一空白，我们发放了一份调查问卷，以了解美国 COVID-19 大流行期间一次性产品的使用情况、一次性产品重复使用的可能性以及废物管理方法。受访者首选可重复使用的织物口罩，其次是一次性外科口罩。相当大比例的受访者回答说他们会重复使用一次性口罩，而且大多选择旋转口罩作为重复使用一次性口罩之间的首选 "消毒 "方法。大多数受访者不使用手套，而半数以上的受访者使用湿巾和/或纸巾。对自由回答的答案进行了共同主题分析。在自由回答的答案中，可以看到与大流行相关的产品使用和处置、食品包装或食品制备有关的问题。调查显示，受访者认为他们的消费和产生的废物发生了变化，或认为消费和丢弃的产品类型因大流行病而发生了变化。总体而言，受访者表示倾向于重复使用，并对一次性产品的增加表示担忧。这项研究的结果可用于预测危机情况下一次性产品的消费和再利用情况。此外，这些数据还可用于一次性产品生命周期评估中使用和处置阶段的建模。Integr Environ Assess Manag 2024;00:1-11.© 2024 作者。综合环境评估与管理》由 Wiley Periodicals LLC 代表环境毒理学与化学学会 (SETAC) 出版。

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来源期刊

Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCESTOXICOLOGY&nbs-TOXICOLOGY

CiteScore

5.90

自引率

6.50%

发文量

156

期刊介绍： Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management (IEAM) publishes the science underpinning environmental decision making and problem solving. Papers submitted to IEAM must link science and technical innovations to vexing regional or global environmental issues in one or more of the following core areas: Science-informed regulation, policy, and decision making Health and ecological risk and impact assessment Restoration and management of damaged ecosystems Sustaining ecosystems Managing large-scale environmental change Papers published in these broad fields of study are connected by an array of interdisciplinary engineering, management, and scientific themes, which collectively reflect the interconnectedness of the scientific, social, and environmental challenges facing our modern global society: Methods for environmental quality assessment; forecasting across a number of ecosystem uses and challenges (systems-based, cost-benefit, ecosystem services, etc.); measuring or predicting ecosystem change and adaptation Approaches that connect policy and management tools; harmonize national and international environmental regulation; merge human well-being with ecological management; develop and sustain the function of ecosystems; conceptualize, model and apply concepts of spatial and regional sustainability Assessment and management frameworks that incorporate conservation, life cycle, restoration, and sustainability; considerations for climate-induced adaptation, change and consequences, and vulnerability Environmental management applications using risk-based approaches; considerations for protecting and fostering biodiversity, as well as enhancement or protection of ecosystem services and resiliency.