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. 2020 Jul:127:109883.
doi: 10.1016/j.rser.2020.109883. Epub 2020 Apr 27.

Minimising the present and future plastic waste, energy and environmental footprints related to COVID-19

Jiří Jaromír Klemeš  1 , Yee Van Fan  1 , Raymond R Tan  2 , Peng Jiang  3
Affiliations

Minimising the present and future plastic waste, energy and environmental footprints related to COVID-19

Jiří Jaromír Klemeš et al. Renew Sustain Energy Rev. 2020 Jul.

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has had growing environmental consequences related to plastic use and follow-up waste, but more urgent health issues have far overshadowed the potential impacts. This paper gives a prospective outlook on how the disruption caused by COVID-19 can act as a catalyst for short-term and long-term changes in plastic waste management practices throughout the world. The impact of the pandemic and epidemic following through the life cycles of various plastic products, particularly those needed for personal protection and healthcare, is assessed. The energy and environmental footprints of these product systems have increased rapidly in response to the surge in the number of COVID-19 cases worldwide, while critical hazardous waste management issues are emerging due to the need to ensure destruction of residual pathogens in household and medical waste. The concept of Plastic Waste Footprint (PWF) is proposed to capture the environmental footprint of a plastic product throughout its entire life cycle. Emerging challenges in waste management during and after the pandemic are discussed from the perspective of novel research and environmental policies. The sudden shift in waste composition and quantity highlights the need for a dynamically reponsive waste management system. Six future research directions are suggested to mitigate the potential impacts of the pandemic on waste management systems.

Keywords: COVID-19 pandemic; Dynamic waste management; Environmental footprints reduction; Plastic waste footprint.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no known competing for financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Flattening the COVID-19 pandemic medical waste curve.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
The expected trend of medical and MSW waste flow along with the epidemic/pandemic crisis.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Plastic demand by segment [18] and the expected increasing trend in medical and packaging. However, the net plastic demand is yet to be assessed. The plastic demand in the medical sector to help in combating the COVID-19 including the face shield (PP), gown (LDPE), vinyl gloves (PVC), disposable bag, tube, masks (plastic sheet and non-woven fabric) etc. [19]a. The vast demand for food delivery or take out as well as grocery delivery [20]b increase PP, LDPE, HDPE, PETE and PS, which are the common packaging materials.
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
The main waste handling approaches for contaminated waste during COVID-19. Double bagged [24], Holding time [25], treatment methods [26], on-site, off-site and mobile facilities [27].
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
Environmental and Economic Performance of Various Plastic Waste Management approaches. Adapted from Vanapali et al. [31].
Fig. 6
Fig. 6
Packaging alternatives. [35]a, [36]b, [34]c, [37]d.
Fig. 7
Fig. 7
The embodied energy and value chain of plastic without considering the supply chain (transporting).The % of energy recoveryc is estimated by the efficiency of waste to energy. [40]a [33]b.
Fig. 8
Fig. 8
Summary of the discussion and the outcomes in this article.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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