Challenges, Strategies, and Recommendations for the Huge Surge in Plastic and Medical Waste during the Global COVID-19 Pandemic with Circular Economy Approach
Targol Teymourian,Termeh Teymoorian,Elaheh Kowsari,Seeram Ramakrishna +3 more
- Vol. 3, Iss: 1, pp 1-14
TLDR
In this paper, a review article collected scattered information and provided a future perspective on how worldwide COVID-19 disruption can perform as a catalyst to improve plastic and medical waste management.Abstract:
After December 2019, the globe was affected by a new coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) that causes severe respiratory illnesses, which is responsible for increasing environmental problem consequences related to the extra consumption of medical waste and single-use plastics (such as personal protective equipment (PPE) and packaging plastics). Although the consumption of these plastics protects our life during this crisis, it is pivotal to move toward plastic recycling processes and environmentally friendly and sustainable alternatives, like bio-based degradable plastics with a circular economy perspective. This review article collected scattered information and provided a future perspective on how worldwide COVID-19 disruption can perform as a catalyst to improve plastic and medical waste management. Additionally, this paper illustrates the most effective disinfection technologies for COVID-19 wastes, such as high/low heat technologies and chemical disinfection, and PPE reusing processes, including dry heat, vaporized hydrogen peroxide, ozone, and UV light during the outbreak. In this vein, medical waste treatment facilities must be more automatic, with a minimum of personnel involved. Moreover, some recent valid guidelines from different international organizations and countries, future outlook, and practical recommendations that could be effective during this epidemic or even in the post-pandemic world for plastic and medical waste management were provided. Ultimately, governments should improve their waste management because of the potential of pathogen transmission or increased plastic and medical waste generation and try to enhance the environmental knowledge of society. People also should revise their viewpoints on plastic consumption by elevating sustainable behaviors, abandoning old habits, and adjusting to novel ones.read more
Citations
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Direct and Indirect Effects of SARS-CoV-2 on Wastewater Treatment
TL;DR: In this article, a review collected scattered data and recent studies about the direct and indirect effects of coronavirus in the water cycle, and the direct impacts of COVID-19 on wastewater are related to the presence of the SARS-CoV-2 and suitable viral removal methods in different phases of treatment in wastewater treatment plants.
Journal ArticleDOI
Environmental impact of increased soap consumption during COVID-19 pandemic: Biodegradable soap production and sustainable packaging.
TL;DR: In this article, a systematic review aimed to collect some recent methods for identifying biodegradable and sustainable raw materials to produce and package cleaning agents, especially soap, especially detergent.
Journal ArticleDOI
Key ingredients and recycling strategy of personal protective equipment (PPE): Towards sustainable solution for the COVID-19 like pandemics.
Samarjeet Siwal,Gauri Chaudhary,Adesh K. Saini,Harjot Kaur,Vipin Saini,Sudesh Kumar Mokhta,Ramesh Chand,U.K. Chandel,Graham Christie,Vijay Kumar Thakur +9 more
TL;DR: In this article, the authors have discussed the recycling strategies of PPE, important components (such as medical gloves, gowns, masks & respirators and other face and eye protection) and the raw materials used in PPE kits.
Journal ArticleDOI
Plastic accumulation during COVID-19: call for another pandemic; bioplastic a step towards this challenge?
TL;DR: In this paper , the authors collected scattered information and data about accumulation of plastic during COVID-19 worldwide and illustrated the substitution of petroleum-based plastic with bio-based plastics.
Journal ArticleDOI
Effectiveness of solar water disinfection in the era of COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic for contaminated water/wastewater treatment considering UV effect and temperature
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors reported the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater samples and the risk of contaminating water bodies in the regions which suffer from the lack of proper sanitation system and wastewater treatment plants (mostly in developing countries).
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