Environmental impact of the COVID-19 pandemic

The Covid-19 pandemic is the most talked about event of 2020. Humanity will remember this year forever.

image source Pixabay License

Every day we hear and see world statistics about sick and dead people. But besides this, coronavirus has an unprecedented impact on the environment. The positive thing is that due to the worldwide quarantine, the amount of carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere has decreased. People began to move less on their cars, therefore emissions became less.

The Italian city Venice also felt the positive effect of quarantine. There are always a lot of tourists in this city all year round. Therefore it’s not wonder that the city is polluted and the water in canals is very muddy. But, during the quarantine, when all people were at home and the flow of tourists stopped, the water in Venice canals become transparent and more fish appeared in it. Once, local people even photographed dolphins swimming in the canals. The City Hall of Venice explained that the reason of water changes was not the improvement of water quality, but due to the fact that canals have less traffic now. Therefore, the precipitation does not form on the surface of water and remains at the bottom. And although water pollution may not have decreased, the air quality in the country has improved significantly. According to the European Space Agency the degree of air pollution after the mass quarantine decreased in Italy, reduced nitrogen dioxide emissions.

Clear water in Venice. Photo by Manuel Silvestri, Reuters, image source

The Covid-19 and quarantine also had a very strong impact on the ecology of China. According to the Center for Energy and Clean Air Research (CREA), between February 3 and March 1, CO2 emissions in China fell by at least 25%. People began to use cars less, production volumes decreased and as a result, ecology improved.

Photograph: Nasa Handout/EPA, image source

It is a well known fact that the emission of greenhouse gas into the atmosphere leads to an increase in average global temperatures on earth. And global warming provokes the melting of glaciers and rising sea levels. Even before the lockdown, researchers warned that the decline of economic activity would help reduce global warming, as well as air and marine pollution. This will allow the environment to recover slowly.

So, we can state that Covid-19 slightly eased the condition of ecology in the world. But, on the other hand, due to the pandemic and global quarantine, a new problem and a threat to the environment have arisen. Quarantine measures designed to protect people from infection, such as wearing medical masks and gloves, disinfection of hands and rooms etc., lead to the fact that tons of potentially dangerous garbage in the form of disposable masks, used gloves and other waste are scattered all over the world that are not disposed of properly. All this can become a source of danger in the future, provoking new outbreaks of infection. Such waste naturally decomposes 450 years.

A few weeks ago near Hong Kong, activists found hundreds of used masks in the ocean. This harms not only Hong Kong residents, but the entire ecosystem. Experts say that these masks made of synthetic materials pose a particular danger to marine animals who take them like a food. More than one hundred thousand marine mammals and birds die every year due to plastic pollution of the ocean. And after quarantine ends, this figure may increase.

Research by French scientists

Surgical masks can be used up to 4 hours, and masks such as FFP2 up to 8 hours. Such a short lifetime leads to the fact that a huge number of masks are used by medical workers per day and, as a result, the amount of waste increases. A consortium of French scientists explores the possibility of reuse of disposable masks by medical staff. Scientists are studying methods of mask’s disinfection, influence on the protective properties of masks, as well as the number of effective treatments. So, the first experiments showed that surgical masks retain their properties after washing at temperatures up to 95°C, as well as when processed using gamma rays. Scientists will be needed to get all sorts of licenses and approvals for using this disinfection method for reusing masks. But maybe this research will contribute to waste reduction and, as a result, reduce the harmful effects on the environment.

Is it really necessary to use mask?

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The usage of medical masks is really necessary for medical personal. Hospital staff uses face masks not only during Covid-19 pandemic, but also during normal times. When the coronavirus pandemic began, the World Health Organization advised that only people who are sick or have symptoms and those who care for people with coronavirus infection should wear masks. No one else needs to wear a mask. The mask is not a reliable protection against the virus, based on the current idea that the virus spreads through the smallest particles of saliva. Many doctors say that frequent hand washing with soap is much more effective then mask.

I think people need to think about it. If you can do without a mask, do not wear it, but rather wash your hands more often. But, if wearing a mask is necessary, then after removing it, discard it correctly. Before you throw away the mask, it must be put in a separate bag and tightly closed.

Be healthy!

Sources:

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/18/photos-water-in-venice-italys-canals-clear-amid-covid-19-lockdown.html

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/mar/01/dramatic-fall-in-china-pollution-levels-partly-related-to-coronavirus

https://news.cnrs.fr/articles/protective-mask-recycling-offers-promise

https://www.healtheuropa.eu/

https://www.livescience.com/face-masks-eye-protection-covid-19-prevention.html