The COVID-19 shutdown (lockdown) is not unheard of, and we can all agree that the air and water has all gotten cleaner and better. In Delhi, air quality index (AQI) levels are usually a severe 200 on a good day, and according to the World Health organization, anything above 25 is deemed unsafe. But as Delhi’s 11m registered cars were taken off the roads and factories and construction were ground to a halt during this shutdown, AQI levels have regularly fallen below 20. The skies are clearer and even the birds seem to be coming out more.
It may seem that there has been a positive impact of the pandemic on our environment, however an important aspect to consider, is the extensive use of PPE (personal protective equipment). Most of these PPEs are made of plastic, masks, gloves ,and suits, etc. All of these are being thrown away recklessly and continuously. Reports from all around the world show that, these PPEs are being discarded in a very hazardous manner. Melisa Colarado2, from NBC Bay area says that these protective wears, i.e., the face masks and plastic gloves have become must-have items for people while going out during the coronavirus pandemic, but after being used, some of that personal protective equipment is being dumped on the street. She has also reported instances whereby these used protective gear has been left just beside the lake. Discarded face masks have also been piling up on Hong Kong’s beaches and nature trails, this poses a huge threat to the marine lifestyle. The animals are put at risk. “We only have had masks for the last six to eight weeks, in a massive volume ... we are now seeing the effect on the environment,” said Gary Stokes, founder of the environmental group Oceans Asia. Due to the shutdown, most of the water body cleaning activities, have been put to rest, and these plastic pieces, continue to lay in the water bodies.
US environmentalist, Lauren Singer has been living trash free, for around 8 years, until the recent pandemic had to change her lifestyle. She was quoted saying - “Two weeks ago when the reality of COVID-19 set in, I made some choices that went against the way I lived my life for almost a decade. I sacrificed my values and bought items in plastic. Lots of it and plastic that I know aren’t recyclable. I bought things that could stay in my cabinet for years in my cabinet”. This not only shows us how the pandemic has brought about changes in lifestyle for those who are making a change but also exposes the flaws that already exist, i.e. the extensive usage of plastic in the packaging. There have also been reports of increased demand for packaged water along with plastics used in food packaging [1].
Apart from this, few members of the plastic industries have taken advantage of the pandemic and have issued letters for the extension of the ban on single-use plastics5,6. The Eu.P.C. (European Plastics converter) has written an open letter to the E.U. requesting an extension of the ban on single-use plastics. The letter had stated that, the E.U.(European Union) Commission did not consider the hygienic consequences of banning or reducing Single-Use Plastics and had only reflected on the littering aspects. It also stated that today and tomorrow we are and will be in a completely different world where hygiene and consumer health will be the number one priority. Furthermore, it called the ban a “political” piece of legislation. A similar letter has been written by the plastic industry association to the US Department of Health and Human Services. In this letter, they have mentioned that single-use plastic products are the most “sanitary” choice. The clear exploitation of the pandemic for a business benefit can be clearly seen as their motto.
There are studies that do correlate to the transmission of viruses and an increase in the number of bacteria in reusable bags. Barbosa et al7 (2018) conducted a study on thirty used reusable plastic bags in which, they were microbiologically analyzed. Enterobacteriaceae, staphylococci, and Listeria monocytogenes (disease-causing bacteria), were found and a high number of multi-resistant staphylococci and Enterobacteriaceae were also seen. Williams et al8 (2011) conducted a study on reusable shopping bags to assess the potential for cross-contamination of food products. Reusable bags were collected at random from consumers as they entered grocery stores in California and Arizona. It was found that reusable bags are seldom if ever washed and often used for multiple purposes. Large numbers of bacteria were found in almost all bags. He stated that washing these bags, using hand or machine, reduced the bacteria in them by 99.9%. Kimberly K. Repp9, an epidemiologist with the Washington County Department of Health and Human Services, has said that -“We wash our clothes when they’re dirty; we should wash our bags, too”. It can be inferred from these that reusable bags when washed properly are hygienic and provide an excellent alternative to single alternatives.
In another study by Doremalen et al10 (2020), the aerosol and surface stability of COVID-19 (on different types of surfaces) was tested. The results of the study showed COVID-19 was more stable on plastic and stainless steel than on copper and cardboard. From this study, we can conclude that the spread of the virus through plastics, can occur at a higher rate, and improper disposal of the plastics that have come under direct contact with the virus will be dangerous, thus using single-use plastic is not an efficient alternative in this pandemic. This also suggests that paper bags might be less risky than plastic ones.
In this present scenario, our health may be a major concern, however, we should keep in mind that, the plastics that we dispose off recklessly is a problem now and shall continue to be so even in the future. We must ensure that we are equipped with better alternatives and at an individual level, we should try to live in minimalism. We should, even at this time, try to reuse whatever we already have and try to reduce our waste.
Author: Dr. Vishnu Priya Cherukuri
References:
1. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/apr/11/positively-alpine-disbelief-air-pollution-falls-lockdown-coronavirus - 'It's positively alpine!': Disbelief in big cities as air pollution falls – Hannah Ellis Peterson, The Gaurdian.
2. https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/coronavirus/coronavirus-trash-face-masks-plastic-gloves-discarded-on-streets/2272155/ - Mellisa Colarado- NBC
7. Barbosa, J., Albano, H., Silva, C. P., & Teixeira, P. (2018). Microbiological contamination of reusable plastic bags for food transportation. Food Control. doi:10.1016/j.foodcont.2018.12.041
9. Williams DL, Gerba CP, Maxwell S, Sinclair RG. Assessment of the potential for cross-contamination of food products by reusable shopping bags. Food Protection Trends. 2011 Aug 1;31(8):508-513.
10. van Doremalen N, Bushmaker T, Morris DH, et al. Aerosol and Surface Stability of SARS-CoV-2 as Compared with SARS-CoV-1. N Engl J Med. 2020;382(16):1564‐1567. doi:10.1056/NEJMc2004973
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