COVID-19 poses a new challenge to the plastic waste problem in the ocean

The acute respiratory inflammatory disease crisis (COVID-19) has caused the global quantity of plastic products such as medical masks, gloves, protective equipment, and body bags to skyrocket.

All of these products are needed during a pandemic, according to CNN. However, environmental activists are concerned that the COVID-19 pandemic is posing some serious challenges to efforts to reduce plastic waste.

“We know plastic waste pollution is a global problem. It was before a pandemic happened. We need to be careful about how we will solve this problem after the pandemic, ”said Nick Mallos at the Ocean Conservancy NGO.

Heavy duty personal protective equipment

The COVID-19 crisis sparked a race to produce personal protective equipment (PPE) between countries as governments rapidly increased stockpiles of masks, gloves, splash covers and shirts. protection. Many countries encourage or require citizens to wear masks when going out in public.

Although these moves are safe from a public health perspective, it is an undeniable fact that these types of waste directly affect the surrounding environment.

“Right outside of my house are masks and gloves that are discarded after use. Two days, it rained in Washington DC. Therefore, these wastes are quickly washed down the drain and dumped into the Anacostica River, in Chesapeake Bay and finally the Atlantic Ocean, ”said John Hocevar - Ocean campaign director of the non-profit Greenpeace USA - share. PPE becomes a new threat to the oceans.

According to a study by the Marine Biology Association in the UK in 2019, global production of plastic has quadrupled in the past 40 years. According to the authors' calculations, if this trend continues, by 2050, the production of plastic will cause 15% of the greenhouse gas emissions. For comparison, the total emissions of all types of transport in the world currently account for 15%. Meanwhile, according to another study published in the scientific journal Nature Communications, each year about 8 million tons of plastic waste is dumped into the sea.

However, PPE poses more distinct challenges. “The PPE's structure makes them dangerous for marine life. Sea turtles can mistake gloves for jellyfish or some other food. Mask strap also poses great dangers, ”said Mr. Hocevar.

Over time, these products, although decomposing, still generate large amounts of microplastics into the ocean, air or food. Not only that, but in the production of plastic products, companies often add chemicals.

“We know many parts of the world that cannot handle plastic waste. This is harmful to human health, harmful to the environment and the ocean ", Mr. Hocevar stated.