The COVID-19 pandemic will most likely increase plastic pollution, Fengwei (David) Xie argues.
Xie deals with developing green processes and green products for greater source effectiveness and decrease in wastes and carbon impacts. His research concentrates on green/bio-polymers for sustainability, environmental management, and health and wellness.
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Here, Xie, a other at the Worldwide Institute for Nanocomposites Manufacturing at the College of Warwick, damages down why the pandemic could boost plastic waste:
Since 2018 when China began the ban on plastic waste imports, developed nations have remained in a motion to decrease plastic wastes. Objectives have been readied to getting rid of single-use plastic items such as bags, straws, and flatware. Besides, there has been conversation regarding the decrease of plastic wastes from labs and medical facilities.
However, intoxicated of the unmatched COVID-19 pandemic beginning in very early 2020, we may currently need to re-think the question: Is the future more plastic?
PROTECTING HEALTH OR THE ENVIRONMENT
For our present fight to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, we see a significantly enhancing demand for individual safety equipment (PPE) which [is comprised of] various plastic and rubber items.
Most typically, handwear covers are essential for healthcare employees. While latex handwear covers are naturally degradable because its material is drawn out from rubber trees, nitrile and plastic handwear covers that are made from artificial polymers are not naturally degradable.
In this sense, so latex handwear covers are used by health and wellness employees, combating the illness is not likely to cause a lot ecological pollution. However, there are many various other health-related items that are made of artificial polymers and thus are not so eco-friendly.
For instance, one of the most important material to earn medical masks is a melt-blown polymer, most commonly polypropylene (PP), which can effectively shield microorganisms and beads. For the same factor, non-woven PP is also commonly used to earn safety clothes for clinical staff.
Moreover, there are many various other fresh, clean plastic items commonly used in clinical applications for producing a sterilized environment, such as tablet housings, disposal syringes, catheters, and blood bags. These items are also made of artificial polymers such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and PP, which are not naturally degradable. Therefore, it would certainly be not unexpected to see that the COVID-19 pandemic is producing lots of clinical waste.
Not just in the clinical industry has the pandemic triggered enhancing quantities of plastic waste. To quit of the