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Implications of COVID-19 pandemic on environmental compartments: Is plastic pollution a major issue?
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This study assessed the effects of polystyrene microplastics on liver function and lipid metabolism in exposed mice, finding hepatic lipid accumulation, elevated liver enzymes, and altered expression of genes involved in fatty acid metabolism. The results suggest that chronic microplastic ingestion may contribute to metabolic liver disease through disruption of lipid homeostasis.
The COVID-19 anthropause has impacted human activities and behaviour, resulting in substantial environmental and ecological changes. It has assisted in restoring the ecological systems by improving, for instance, air and water quality and decreasing the anthropogenic pressure on wildlife and natural environments. Notwithstanding, such improvements recessed back, even to a greater extent, when considering increased medical waste, hazardous disinfectants and other chemical compounds, and plastic waste disposal or mismanagement. This work critically reviews the short- and long-term implications of measures against COVID-19 spreading, namely on human activities and different environmental compartments. Furthermore, this paper highlights strategies towards environmental restoration, as the recovery of the lost environment during COVID-19 lockdown suggests that the environmental degradation caused by humans can be reversible. Thus, we can no longer delay concerted international actions to address biodiversity, sustainable development, and health emergencies to ensure environmental resilience and equitable recovery.
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Understanding of environmental pollution and its anthropogenic impacts on biological resources during the COVID-19 period
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Researchers reviewed how the COVID-19 pandemic intensified plastic pollution across terrestrial, marine, and atmospheric environments by driving surges in single-use plastics and inadequately managed medical waste, with plastic-related contamination projected to pose escalating transboundary risks through 2030 and beyond.
The long-term impact of coronavirus disease 2019 on environmental health: a review study of the bi-directional effect
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Researchers reviewed how the COVID-19 pandemic created a two-way relationship with environmental health, finding that lockdowns temporarily improved air and water quality while simultaneously driving a surge in single-use plastic waste and biohazard materials. The review calls for long-term sustainability policies that balance economic recovery with environmental protection, including reducing plastic pollution.
Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the environment, waste management, and energy sectors: a deeper look into the long-term impacts
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This review examines the environmental consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, finding that while short-term air quality improvements occurred during lockdowns, the long-term negative effects are far more significant. Researchers documented massive increases in single-use plastic waste from masks, gloves, and packaging, contributing substantially to microplastic pollution. The study highlights that the pandemic reversed progress on waste reduction and created new challenges for environmental management across waste, energy, and pollution sectors.
COVID-19, a double-edged sword for the environment: a review on the impacts of COVID-19 on the environment
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This review assessed pandemic-related environmental impacts, finding that COVID-19 reduced air and water pollution temporarily through industrial slowdowns but simultaneously increased plastic waste, antibiotic release, and chemical contamination from disinfectants, producing a mixed and complex environmental legacy.
Impacts of COVID-19 Lockdowns on Environmental Degradation and Climate Change: A Review
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This review examined how COVID-19 lockdowns created a global natural experiment revealing both the scale of improvement achievable through reduced human activity and new environmental pressures from pandemic waste. While lockdowns briefly improved air quality and water clarity, surges in PPE and medical plastic waste intensified microplastic pollution risks, and CO₂ emissions rebounded strongly by 2021, demonstrating that durable environmental gains require systemic policy change.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.