The shadow pandemic of single use personal protective equipment plastic waste: A blue print for suppression and eradication
Long D. Nghiem, Hafiz M.N. Iqbal, Jakub Zdarta
Abstract
Single use personal protective equipment (PPE) has played a major role in preventing COVID-19 infection. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, over 4 million tonnes of polypropylene PPE waste has been disposed into the environment in uncontrolled manner causing significant and long-term ecological damage. This work also highlights several effective measures to alleviate the problem of polypropylene PPE waste. Short-term measures include knowledge sharing to minimise the use of single use PPE and to adapt innovative polypropylene recycling technologies. To prepare for a future pandemic, it is also essential to phase out polypropylene PPE using natural based polymers.
Topics & Concepts
Personal protective equipmentPolypropylenePandemicCoronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)Shadow (psychology)Waste management2019-20 coronavirus outbreakWork (physics)Environmental scienceEngineeringMedicineMaterials scienceVirologyComposite materialMechanical engineeringOutbreakPsychotherapistDiseaseInfectious disease (medical specialty)PsychologyPathologyMicroplastics and Plastic PollutionHealthcare and Environmental Waste ManagementRecycling and Waste Management Techniques