Open AccessPlastic waste release caused by COVID-19 and its fate in the global ocean
Author(s) -
Yiming Peng,
Peipei Wu,
Amina T. Schartup,
Yanxu Zhang
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
proceedings of the national academy of sciences of the united states of america
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.011
H-Index - 771
eISSN - 1091-6490
pISSN - 0027-8424
DOI - 10.1073/pnas.2111530118
Subject(s) - plastic waste , covid-19 , pandemic , environmental science , debris , plastic pollution , oceanography , microplastics , waste management , geology , engineering , medicine , disease , pathology , infectious disease (medical specialty)
Significance Plastic waste causes harm to marine life and has become a major global environmental concern. The recent COVID-19 pandemic has led to an increased demand for single-use plastic, intensifying pressure on this already out-of-control problem. This work shows that more than eight million tons of pandemic-associated plastic waste have been generated globally, with more than 25,000 tons entering the global ocean. Most of the plastic is from medical waste generated by hospitals that dwarfs the contribution from personal protection equipment and online-shopping package material. This poses a long-lasting problem for the ocean environment and is mainly accumulated on beaches and coastal sediments. We call for better medical waste management in pandemic epicenters, especially in developing countries.