0
Article ? AI-assigned paper type based on the abstract. Classification may not be perfect — flag errors using the feedback button. Tier 2 ? Original research — experimental, observational, or case-control study. Direct primary evidence. Policy & Risk Sign in to save

Environmental Catastrophe of COVID-19: Disposal and Management of PPE in Bangladesh

Global Social Welfare 2020 40 citations ? Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count. Score: 45 ? 0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.
Mashura Shammi, Shafi M. Tareq

Summary

Researchers assessed the environmental impact of surging personal protective equipment (PPE) disposal during the COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh, highlighting the urgent need for safe waste management systems to prevent single-use plastic contamination and associated public health risks.

As COVID-19 spreads quickly across the whole of Bangladesh, the increased uses of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) could lead to secondary environmental catastrophes. It is urgent for respective authority to maintain a safe waste disposal system to save the environment and protect public health from impending health threats.

Sign in to start a discussion.

More Papers Like This

Article Tier 2

PPE pollution in the terrestrial and aquatic environment of the Chittagong city area associated with the COVID-19 pandemic and concomitant health implications

Researchers documented the improper disposal of face masks and other personal protective equipment in the Chittagong metropolitan area of Bangladesh during the COVID-19 pandemic, finding widespread terrestrial and aquatic contamination with plastic microfibers that poses risks for both viral persistence and microplastic pollution.

Article Tier 2

Disseminating the Biomedical Waste Generation Scenario During Covid-19: an Overview from the Lower Middle Income Country Bangladesh

This study quantified biomedical waste generated during the COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh, estimating that about 158 million face masks were disposed of in urban areas alone during the study period, generating 517 tons of solid waste. Pandemic-related medical waste adds a significant burden of plastic pollution, including microplastic-shedding personal protective equipment.

Article Tier 2

Face masks: protecting the wearer but neglecting the aquatic environment? - A perspective from Bangladesh

This perspective paper argues that the surge in single-use face mask use during the COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh has significantly increased plastic waste and microplastic pollution entering aquatic environments, calling for sustainable mask disposal policies.

Article Tier 2

The Escalating Biomedical Waste Management To Control the Environmental Transmission of COVID-19 Pandemic: A Perspective from Two South Asian Countries

This study examines the growing challenge of biomedical waste management during the COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh and India. The research suggests that improperly managed personal protective equipment and medical waste could contribute to long-term microplastic pollution, and recommends modernizing waste management policies and installing adequate incineration infrastructure to prevent environmental and community transmission risks.

Article Tier 2

The Impacts of Plastic Waste from Personal Protective Equipment Used during the COVID-19 Pandemic

This review analyzes the environmental impacts of personal protective equipment plastic waste generated during the COVID-19 pandemic, examining how the unprecedented surge in PPE demand overwhelmed waste management systems and contributed to microplastic pollution.

Share this paper