The ongoing COVID-19 disease significantly affects not only human health, it also affects the wealth of country’ economy and everyday routine of human life. To control the spread of the virus, face mask is used as primary personal protective equipment (PPE). Thus, the production and usage of face masks significantly increase as the COVID-19 pandemic still escalating. Further, most of these masks contain plastics or other derivatives of plastics. Therefore, this extensive usage of face masks generates million tons of plastic wastes to the environments in a short span of time. This study aims to investigate the environmental impact induced by face mask wastes and sustainable solution to reduce this waste. An online survey was carried out to identify the types of face mask and number of masks used per week by an individual from 1033 people. Based on this survey and available literature, this study quantifies the amount of plastics waste generated by face masks. However, this survey was limited with certain ages, country and durations (July–August 2020). Thus, the prediction of plastic waste generation, only provide fundamental knowledge about the mask wastes. Results revealed that there is a huge plastic waste remained in land and marine environment in the form of mask waste, which will contribute to micro-plastic pollution. Therefore, this paper also highlights the sustainable approach to the mask production by integrating the use of natural plant fiber in the woven face mask technology to reduce the plastic waste induced by masks. Further, upcycling the mask waste and producing construction materials also discussed.

Environmental challenges induced by extensive use of face masks during COVID-19: A review and potential solutions

Plastic pollution is ubiquitous in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Plastic waste exposed to the environment creates problems and is of significant concern for all life forms. Plastic production and accumulation in the natural environment are occurring at an unprecedented rate due to indiscriminate use, inadequate recycling, and deposits in landfills. In 2019, the global production of plastic was at 370 million tons, with only 9% of it being recycled, 12% being incinerated, and the remaining left in the environment or landfills. The leakage of plastic wastes into terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems is occurring at an unprecedented rate. The management of plastic waste is a challenging problem for researchers, policymakers, citizens, and other stakeholders. Therefore, here, we summarize the current understanding and concerns of plastics pollution (microplastics or nanoplastics) on natural ecosystems. The overall goal of this review is to provide background assessment on the adverse effects of plastic pollution on natural ecosystems; interlink the management of plastic pollution with sustainable development goals; address the policy initiatives under transdisciplinary approaches through life cycle assessment, circular economy, and sustainability; identify the knowledge gaps; and provide current policy recommendations. Plastic waste management through community involvement and socio-economic inputs in different countries are presented and discussed. Plastic ban policies and public awareness are likely the major mitigation interventions. The need for life cycle assessment and circularity to assess the potential environmental impacts and resources used throughout a plastic product’s life span is emphasized. Innovations are needed to reduce, reuse, recycle, and recover plastics and find eco-friendly replacements for plastics. Empowering and educating communities and citizens to act collectively to minimize plastic pollution and use alternative options for plastics must be promoted and enforced. Plastic pollution is a global concern that must be addressed collectively with the utmost priority.

Impacts of Plastic Pollution on Ecosystem Services, Sustainable Development Goals, and Need to Focus on Circular Economy and Policy Interventions

Comparative life cycle assessment of reprocessed plastics and commercial polymer modified asphalts

Characterization of physical & mechanical properties of asphalt concrete containing low- & high-density polyethylene waste as aggregates

Plastic waste management practices pertaining to India with particular focus on emerging technologies

Performance comparison of waste plastic modified versus conventional bituminous roads in Pune city: A case study

This work has focused on investigating the comparative performance of the conventional type of offshore jacket substructure and a modified twisted-tripod jacket type (MTJ) under static and dynamic loading environment. Conventional four-legged and four number of MTJ structures, with a finite number of leg twisting angles from 0° to 90°, for supporting 5 MW NREL wind turbine were analysed for a selected site. In order to compare performance under dynamic loading, the dimensions of the structures were designed iteratively using static stress analysis to ensure that all structures had a similar level of load-carrying capability. Static analyses were performed using SACS v8 and models were imported to SAP-2000 for dynamic response spectrum analyses. The results obtained here reveal that, in addition to savings in material costs, the modified twisted-tripod jacket performs more efficiently than conventional four-legged jackets. This study has established a framework of procedure for simplified analysis of wind turbine jackets under dynamic loading environment.

Structural Performance Assessment of Offshore Wind Turbine Jackets-a Comparative Study Under Dynamic Loading Environment

Many complexities can be observed in the construction of tunnels for Pune metro (the second-largest city in the state of Maharashtra, India). It inherently involves many risky activities like excavation and lining, transportation of material, scaling and mucking, ventilation, cutter head intervention of tunnel boring machine (TBM) in compressed as well as in open mode, handling of tunnel machinery, working in narrow space, overloading of the crane, temporary segment dismantling, etc. Although tunneling for metro rail is risky, the risk involved is more in the longer tunnels. To save valuable resources and winning the trust of the client, risk assessment for each activity during tunnel construction is crucial. The expository literature review indicates that very few studies are available on risk assessment of each activity of tunnel construction in India using TBM. This study presents a case study on risk assessment of underground construction for the Pune metro. The work provides an insight into risk which occurs during the construction and describes general consideration for the uncertainties during execution. The paper provides the qualification and quantification for the risks in metro tunnel using risk matrix and expected monitory value (EMV) analysis. The risk matrix is the most effective tool for risk assessment and qualitative risk analysis. And EMV is succeeded using recommendations accessible in the literature of domain of risk management. Though it is a straightforward method, it is a productive application for the quantification to accomplish the goals of the metro tunnel project in terms of controlling the time delay and cost overrun as well. After the qualification of the risk process, quantitative assessment can be done for the further elected majors to choose the suitable reaction schemes. To manage the risk-associated cases efficiently. TBM data has been taken into account for risk assessment.

Risk Assessment of Pune Metro Underground Construction Using Risk Matrix and Expected Monitory Value

The present era, in particular, the last 3 to 4 decades can be easily named the “Plastic Age” and dealing with plastic waste has always been a challenging affair for Urban local bodies. Plastic roads are bituminous roads or pavement that have a waste plastic blended mix for their wearing courses. Plastic bituminous roads being a sustainable technology are becoming very popular nowadays as a substitute for conventional bituminous roads in India and other parts of the World. Evaluation of pavement is important to plan its maintenance strategy timely to avoid the complete deterioration of the pavement. In the present study, plastic bituminous roads and normal bituminous roads are evaluated for their various distress parameters and are compared based on distress parameters over the years. This paper tries to answer a basic question of whether Plastic Bituminous Roads are definitely sustainable but are they also better in handling the distresses. The study has also revealed that plastic bituminous roads perform better in early deterioration as compared to normal bituminous roads which will encourage field professionals and Urban Local bodies to use this sustainable technology.

Sandeep Potnis

Papers

Performance comparison of waste plastic modified versus conventional bituminous roads in Pune city: A case study

Structural Performance Assessment of Offshore Wind Turbine Jackets-a Comparative Study Under Dynamic Loading Environment

Risk Assessment of Pune Metro Underground Construction Using Risk Matrix and Expected Monitory Value

Plastic Bituminous Roads: A Sustainable Technology – For Better Handling Distresses

Seismic effect on cantilever slab of rectangular and C-shaped buildings using time-history analysis