How COVID-19 has impacted the environment
Is the pandemic helping the environment more than it’s hurting it?
Social distancing, curfews, restricted travel, increased development of single-use plastics and waste generation, reduced recycling — these are all side effects of a global pandemic, and they each have their own impact on the environment.
Social Distancing, Curfews, & Restricted Travel
It’s no secret — traveling increases greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs), which exacerbates the effects of global warming on the planet. So what effect, if any, has restricting socializing and travel had on emissions?
China and Italy, which were among the first nations to cease daily activities after being struck by COVID-19, saw major decreases in air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. China observed a 20–30% decrease in particulate matter in February as compared to previous years, and while some of this decrease may be attributed to attempts to lower emissions, most of the reduction is likely an indirect effect of the pandemic. Italy experienced reductions in nitrogen oxide emissions, particularly in the northern portion of the county. Again, this coincides with the reduction in activity due to COVID-19. Similar drops in pollution have been recorded across Europe. This data shows that air quality has improved, thanks to nationwide lockdowns.
In addition to reduced air pollution, reduced noise pollution is another effect of shutting down daily operations across the globe. With fewer commercial operations and less traffic, cities are significantly quieter. This could help to reduce health problems, for humans and animals alike.
Reduced tourism has had major impacts since restricted travel measures have been implemented. The lack of tourists flocking to beaches and other destinations can help to prevent pollution problems from worsening.
Increased Plastic Production, Growing Waste Generation, & Reduced Recycling
An obvious area where the environment suffers during COVID-19 is with the increased production of medical waste and disposable masks. Plastic waste and masks can end up in landfills or oceans, and harm wildlife. Many people have not been given directions on how to safely dispose of or recycle medical equipment and masks, particularly in the midst of a global pandemic when viral spread is a concern.
It’s not just medical waste that is worrisome. With more and more people opting for home delivery of food and other necessities, organic and inorganic waste generation is increased. The emissions from increased deliveries of online orders is also important to consider.
Even when consumers opt to shop at stores themselves, many stores banned the usage of reusable shopping bags due to concerns about spreading COVID-19. This leads to shoppers opting for plastic bags, further increasing waste.
This waste is less likely to be recycled in the age of Coronavirus. Not only are cities concerned about viral spread through recycling potentially contaminated items, but recycling centers are among those facilities that may have operations halted.
The Negative Impacts Outweigh the Positive
The reduction in air pollution in many countries is clearly a positive side effect of the lockdowns due to the pandemic. Unfortunately, it may not necessarily make much of a difference for the overall progression of climate change. When lockdown measures lessen, greenhouse gas emissions will increase as economies return to normality. The same goes for waste generation. The benefits to the environment during the pandemic will have been temporary, and will soon be forgotten.
The COVID-19 pandemic has probably harmed the environment more than it has helped. The amount of waste generated from medical products and mask disposal could impact our planet for years to come.
The only way we could maintain the positive side effects of the pandemic would be to implement ambitious measures to reduce emissions, switch to clean energy economies, and lean into waste reduction and recycling measures. But with the global economy suffering greatly from the havoc wrecked by COVID-19, these measures are unlikely to be implemented with any degree of swiftness. Even though it’s what the planet needs.
