Abstract
The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has demonstrated both positive and negative effects on the environment. Major concerns over personal hygiene, mandated and ease in lockdown actions and slackening of some policy measures have led to a massive surge in the use of disposable personal protective equipment (PPE) and other single-use plastic items. This generated an enormous amount of plastic waste from both healthcare and household units, and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. Apart from the healthcare workers, the general public have become accustomed to using PPE. These habits are threatening the land and marine environment with immense loads of plastic waste, due to improper disposal practices across the world, especially in developing nations. Contaminated PPE has already made its way to the oceans which will inevitably produce plastic particles alongside other pathogen-driven diseases. This study provided an estimation-based approach in quantifying the amount of contaminated plastic waste that can be expected daily from the massive usage of PPE (e.g. facemasks) because of the countrywide mandated regulations on PPE usage. The situation of Bangladesh has been analysed and projections revealed that a total of 3.4 billion pieces of single-use facemask, hand sanitizer bottles, hand gloves and disposable polyethylene bags will be produced monthly, which will give rise to 472.30 t of disposable plastic waste per day. The equations provided for the quantification of waste from used single-use plastic and PPE can be used for other countries for rough estimations. Then, the discussed recommendations will help concerned authorities and policy makers to design effective response plans. Sustainable plastic waste management for the current and post-pandemic period can be imagined and acted upon.
Highlights
The onset of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic brought myriad changes in how humans live and interacts with their surroundings
This study focused on the case of Bangladesh, as it is a densely populated country with rising SARS-CoV-2 cases and unconstrained plastic use
The pandemic induced by SARS-CoV-2 has again ascertained the intimate bonding of human beings with plastic (Silva et al, 2020)
Summary
The onset of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic brought myriad changes in how humans live and interacts with their surroundings. The virus gained notoriety when it started transferring from human to human by means of respiratory droplets – classifying it as the latest strain of the previously known coronavirus; a family of seven viruses that have caused outbreaks (Paital, 2020). These droplets could be airborne – generated from coughing and sneezing, speaking or even singing – or surface laden, where the virus can last for several days. Indirect or close contact with an infected patient is likely to inhale the virus through nasal and mouth passages (WHO, 2020d).
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary 
Published Version (
Free)
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: Waste Management & Research: The Journal for a Sustainable Circular Economy
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
