We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Papers
61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Hazardous of plastics during COVID-19 on marine environment: a case study from Egypt
ClearThe COVID-19 pandemic as an impeller for the aggravation of marine plastic pollution and economic crisis: the reserve effect of health protection measures on human lives
This paper examines how the COVID-19 pandemic worsened marine plastic pollution by dramatically increasing the use of single-use masks, gloves, and other protective equipment. Billions of pieces of pandemic-related plastic waste entered the environment, much of which ended up in oceans. The authors argue that biodegradable alternatives and better waste management are needed to prevent pandemic-era plastics from becoming a lasting marine pollution problem.
The plastic pandemic: COVID-19 has accelerated plastic pollution, but there is a cure
This study examines how the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the global plastic pollution crisis through massively increased use of single-use protective equipment like masks and gloves. Researchers review the environmental consequences and propose solutions including improved waste management, biodegradable alternatives, and policy changes to curb plastic pollution going forward.
Increased plastic pollution due to COVID-19 pandemic: Challenges and recommendations
This review examines how the COVID-19 pandemic dramatically increased plastic pollution through the massive use of disposable personal protective equipment like masks and gloves. Researchers warn that this surge in single-use plastics will accelerate the generation of microplastics and nanoplastics in both aquatic and terrestrial environments. The study emphasizes the need to balance public health measures with environmental safety and calls for a shift toward sustainable alternatives.
Face masks related to COVID-19 in the beaches of the Moroccan Mediterranean: An emerging source of plastic pollution
Researchers monitored face mask litter on five tourist beaches along the Moroccan Mediterranean over five months, finding 321 masks (96% single-use) with higher densities on urban recreational beaches, identifying COVID-related masks as an emerging source of marine plastic pollution.
COVID-19 Pandemic and Microplastic Pollution
This review links the COVID-19 pandemic to a surge in microplastic pollution driven by increased production and disposal of personal protective equipment including masks and gloves. The authors document how pandemic-related plastic waste entered terrestrial and aquatic environments and argue for circular economy strategies to prevent future public health crises from amplifying plastic pollution.
Microplastic pollution and associated health hazards: Impact of COVID-19 pandemic
This review explores how the COVID-19 pandemic led to a surge in single-use plastic waste from masks, gloves, and packaging, increasing microplastic pollution in the environment. Microplastics from this waste can enter land, air, and water, ultimately accumulating in the human body. The study highlights the need for better plastic waste detection, recycling, and management to reduce health risks from pandemic-driven microplastic contamination.
Plastic pollution during COVID-19: Plastic waste directives and its long-term impact on the environment
Researchers reviewed how the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated global plastic production — through mandatory masks, gloves, and single-use packaging — worsening long-term micro- and nanoplastic pollution in oceans, soils, and food chains. The study calls for stronger plastic waste management programs that specifically target the prevention of small plastic particles from entering ecosystems.
Impact of COVID-19 protective equipment on the aquatic environment
Researchers examined the environmental impact of COVID-19 protective equipment — including disposable masks, gloves, and face shields — on aquatic ecosystems, documenting how the mass global deployment of single-use plastic protective gear contributed a significant new source of microplastic contamination to waterways. The study assessed the scale of this pollution surge and its implications for aquatic organisms and water quality management.
Effects of COVID-19 on coastal and marine environments: Aggravated microplastic pollution, improved air quality, and future perspective
Researchers conducted a comprehensive review of how the COVID-19 pandemic affected coastal and marine environments between 2020 and 2023. The study found that pandemic-related waste, particularly personal protective equipment, significantly increased microplastic pollution in marine ecosystems, while lockdowns temporarily improved air quality. Evidence indicates that the environmental legacy of COVID-19 includes lasting microplastic contamination that will require long-term mitigation strategies.
Covid-19 and increase in plastic debris in coastal and marine environments
This commentary discusses how the COVID-19 pandemic increased plastic pollution in coastal and marine environments through surging demand for single-use protective equipment and packaging. The authors call for urgent policy action to prevent pandemic-related plastic from becoming a lasting environmental legacy.
Personal protective equipment (PPE) pollution associated with the COVID-19 pandemic along the coastline of Agadir, Morocco
Researchers surveyed COVID-19-related personal protective equipment (PPE) pollution along the Agadir coastline in Morocco, documenting masks and gloves as new categories of marine litter and estimating their potential to fragment into microplastics over time.
COVID-19 Generated Personal Protective Equipment: Sources of Microplastics and Pathogen Vectors in Marine Environments?
This study raises concern that COVID-19-related personal protective equipment such as face masks, gloves, and gowns improperly disposed of in marine environments are releasing microplastics and potentially acting as pathogen vectors, creating a dual contamination risk from pandemic waste.
A Brief Review on Microplastic Pollution in Aquatic Body
This brief review summarizes the extent of microplastic pollution in aquatic environments, noting that the COVID-19 pandemic significantly worsened the problem through increased use and disposal of single-use plastic personal protective equipment including face masks and gloves. The authors call for improved waste management strategies to address this accelerating contamination.
Plastic and its consequences during the COVID-19 pandemic
Researchers examined the dual role of plastic during the COVID-19 pandemic — as life-saving material in medical and personal protective equipment and as an environmental pollutant when improperly discarded — highlighting how pandemic-driven plastic use worsened water body contamination and public health risks.
The COVID-19 pandemic face mask waste: A blooming threat to the marine environment.
This review examines how single-use face masks — billions of which were discarded during the COVID-19 pandemic — contribute to microplastic and microfiber pollution in marine environments when improperly disposed of. The pandemic created a massive new source of plastic pollution, with masks breaking down into microplastics and releasing chemical contaminants in the ocean.
COVID-19 personal protective equipment (PPE) contamination in coastal areas of Granada, Spain
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.
Effects of masks on marine animals
Discarded COVID-19 face masks entering the ocean pose multiple threats to marine life, including entanglement, ingestion, and fragmentation into microplastic fibres. The paper outlines the scale of the problem and proposes policy and individual-behaviour responses, underscoring how pandemic-era single-use plastic waste created a new and rapid source of marine microplastic contamination.
Evaluation of sediment contamination by macro and microplastics in coastal waters of Southern Mediterranean: a case study of Annaba, Algeria, before and after the COVID-19 pandemic
Researchers assessed plastic pollution in coastal sediments of Annaba, Algeria, comparing conditions before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. They found both macroplastics and microplastics at all sampling sites, with polypropylene and polyethylene being the most common types. The study suggests that pandemic-related disposable products contributed to increased coastal plastic contamination in the region.
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.
Disposal Behavior of Used Masks during the COVID-19 Pandemic in the Moroccan Community: Potential Environmental Impact
Researchers surveyed face mask disposal behavior in two major Moroccan regions during the COVID-19 pandemic and estimated the volume of mask waste generated. They found that over five million masks per day, equivalent to roughly 40,000 kg, were being discarded in the studied regions alone. The study highlights the significant environmental risk posed by pandemic-related plastic waste, which can break down into microplastics in both land and marine environments.
Investigating the current status of COVID-19 related plastics and their potential impact on human health
This review examines how the COVID-19 pandemic increased human exposure to microplastics through the widespread use of plastic-based personal protective equipment like disposable face masks and gloves. Researchers found that face masks release microplastics that can be directly inhaled during use or transported through the environment, potentially carrying chemical contaminants and pathogens. The study highlights the need for more research on the health effects of PPE-derived microplastic exposure.
Microplastics from face masks: A potential hazard post Covid-19 pandemic
Researchers quantified the annual face mask usage and associated plastic waste across 36 countries during the COVID-19 pandemic, estimating total annual mask usage exceeding 1.5 million tonnes and associated plastic waste of approximately 4.2 million tonnes. The study highlights that global COVID-19 responses substantially increased environmental microplastic burdens from single-use face mask disposal.
COVID-19 Personal Protection Equipment (PPE): A Potential Source of Microplastic Pollution in the State of Qatar
Researchers assessed whether COVID-19 personal protective equipment — particularly face masks and respirators — was contributing to plastic pollution along Qatar's coastline. The study found mask and PPE waste added to existing marine litter, raising concerns that pandemic-related plastic use increased microplastic contamination in coastal environments.
Abandoned Covid-19 personal protective equipment along the Bushehr shores, the Persian Gulf: An emerging source of secondary microplastics in coastlines
Researchers surveyed COVID-19 PPE waste — masks, gloves, and face shields — along the coastline of Bushehr, Iran over 40 days, documenting accumulation rates and identifying the items as an emerging source of secondary microplastics that could persist in the marine environment for decades.