0
Article ? AI-assigned paper type based on the abstract. Classification may not be perfect — flag errors using the feedback button. Sign in to save

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on World Ocean Pollution

2024
Olena Zemlyanska, Yury Polukarov, Oleksiy Polukarov, Natalya Prakhovnik, Андрій Ковтун, Maria Snisarenko, Danylo Reznyk, Yelyzaveta Martyniuk

Summary

This study examined how the COVID-19 pandemic affected ocean plastic pollution, noting that the USA increased plastic waste production fivefold and China eightfold between 2010 and 2015. The pandemic further disrupted already insufficient plastic management systems, exacerbating the flow of plastic into waterways and oceans.

Study Type Environmental

In 2010, the amount of plastic emissions was approximately 4.8-12.7 million tons, in 2015 this amount increased significantly. For example, the plastic waste of the USA has increased by 5 times, China by 8.1. Only about 9-12% of this plastic is recycled, the other 90% end up in rivers and oceans. Every year, the problem of plastic pollution increasingly affects the lives of people, as well as animals and plants. The world community is trying to reduce the production of plastic products or propose ways to eliminate plastic pollution, but so far there are no significant results, because the number of tons of plastic in the ocean is only increasing. Many factors affect this. In 2020-2021, one of these factors was the Covid-19 pandemic.

Share this paper