According to a new study, 28,000 tons (25,000 metric tons) of pandemic plastic waste (such as gloves and masks) ended up in the ocean during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Guardian reported that this amounts to more than 2,000 double-decker bus tons of waste. In just a few years, some of the plastic gloves and packaging materials that were purchased from pandemics could be floating around the North Pole.
According to The Guardian, the analysis showed that around 9.2 million tonnes (8.4 million metric tons), of pandemic-associated waste were produced by 193 countries between the beginning of the pandemic and mid-August 2021.
Plastic was used most often by hospitals (87.4%) and individuals (7.6%). In a new study published online Nov. 8, in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, packaging and test kits made up about 4.7 percent of the waste.
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They developed a model that predicted how much plastic waste would end up in the oceans after it was discarded. According to The Guardian, they predicted that 28.550 tons (25.900 metric tons) had already made its way into oceans. It was transported there by 369 major rivers.
The authors predicted that the majority of the debris would shift to beaches and the ocean floor within three years. More than 70% will be washed onto beaches by the end of the year.
The model predicts that while trash in the short-term will mainly impact the coastal environment near its source, over the long-term garbage patches could form in open ocean.
In the southeast Indian and northeast Pacific oceans, for example, there may be patches of plastic. The model predicts that plastic that is swept towards the Arctic Circle will reach a dead end and will sink quickly to the seabed. Researchers also predicted that by 2025, a "circumpolar plastic accumulation zone" would form.
The model also suggests that most pandemic-associated plastics end in the seabed (28.5%) or beaches (70.5%), potentially harming the benthic ecos." This refers to the deepest parts of the ocean.
The study authors stated that the recent COVID-19 epidemic has led to an increase in single-use plastic consumption, which has increased pressure on an already difficult-to-control problem. These findings highlight hotspot rivers that need special attention for plastic waste management.
The study reveals that there is a need to improve the collection, treatment, and disposal of medical plastic waste in developing nations, so it doesn't end up in rivers. There is also a need to reduce single-use plastics, and to increase sustainable alternatives where possible.
The Guardian has more information about the study.
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Live Science originally published this article. You can read the original article here.
