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Personal protective equipment (PPE) pollution driven by the COVID-19 pandemic in coastal environment, Southeast Coast of India.
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Researchers surveyed personal protective equipment (PPE) pollution including face masks and gloves in coastal and marine environments following the COVID-19 pandemic. PPE items were found at all surveyed sites, representing a new category of marine litter with potential to shed microfibers and chemical additives. The study calls for improved waste management strategies for single-use pandemic-related plastics.
The rise in the use of single-use plastics and personal protective equipment (PPE) has increased plastic waste in the marine environment. In this study, we surveyed the presence of PPE (face masks and gloves) discharged in 6 beaches along the coast of India. A total of 496 PPE were counted with an average density of 1.08 × 10 PPE m. The PPE density found was comparable to previous studies. Face masks were the most recorded type of PPE (98.39%), with gloves accounting for only 1.61% of the total. However, a significant reduction in the appearance of PPE was recorded on all six beaches, likely due to the increase in vaccination rates. The most contaminated places were the beaches with recreational activities + fishing. It has been noticed that the lack of awareness of environmental pollution and the negligence of the population and the mismanagement of municipal waste are the main causes of beach pollution by PPE. This study confirms the potential threat of PPE to terrestrial and aquatic organisms of multiple taxa in India, but further studies are needed to quantify the impact of this type of waste on marine animals.
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Researchers surveyed COVID-19 personal protective equipment (PPE) along Lima, Peru's coastline over 12 weeks, finding 138 PPE items across 11 beaches and identifying them as a new source of plastic pollution and potential microplastic generation.
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Researchers surveyed four Spanish beaches and found over 17,500 pieces of plastic waste, with COVID-19 face masks making up 92% of all personal protective equipment litter; plastic debris increased by 92% during vacation periods, illustrating how the pandemic compounded existing coastal plastic pollution.
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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.