Ecological Impacts

In addition to adding to the burden of trash already accumulating on our streets and in our waterways, the industrial production of disposable medical waste contributes to toxic air pollution, CO2 pollution, and climate change. The World Health Organization has suggested that governments should commit to a 40% increase in disposable PPE equipment and materials in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to this COVID-19-related surge in production, the pandemic has the potential to generate over 129 billion disposable face masks and 65 billion disposable gloves per month over the course of its duration.

Until we discover better, more environmentally friendly materials, synthetic disposable medical waste is a necessary component of fighting pandemics. Unfortunately, these materials often come with a high cost to our environment, which, in turn, can harm human health. Plastics can persist in the environment for between 450 and 1,000 years; plastic never truly goes away but breaks down into tiny microparticles.

Disposable gloves, masks, and other medical waste materials can clog waste treatment plants. When these materials are littered or disposed of improperly, they often migrate into our waterways and oceans, where they break down into harmful microplastic particles. Studies have shown that the average adult is already consuming a credit card-size amount of microplastics per week. As the pandemic increases the burden of trash and waste in our environment, we will need to explore alternatives that keep us safe while avoiding causing further damage to our ecosystems and to our health.

The temporary clearing of air pollution that occurred during the initial COVID-19 lockdowns illustrated the benefits of exploring a less energy-intensive and consumption-oriented way of life. The clearing of the air was a reminder that unrestrained economic growth can have serious consequences for our environment and human health. This was particularly noticeable in northern India, where particulates in the air dropped significantly; the Himalayan mountains became visible from cities for the first time in decades due to the lifting of smog and air pollution.

Community Impacts

Racism is a pandemic too

Mutual aid is the process of entering into a mutually beneficial, reciprocal, non-hierarchical relationship with one's community. When governments fail to adequately respond to a crisis, or fail to provide necessary resources, mutual aid can, and often has, been relied upon to help communities meet their needs. The COVID-19 pandemic has led to an increase in mutual aid efforts to bolster food sovereignty and proper access to nutrition, such as seed sharing and free produce distribution.

Black, Indigenous and (low-income) people of color (BIPOC) generally live in areas with a higher burden of air pollution and environmental toxins. This type of racism, generally referred to as environmental racism, is more pernicious and hidden than other, more “newsworthy” aspects of the racial caste system. Environmental racism is primarily systemic, and has led to pollution-spewing infrastructure and industries often placed in or near BIPOC communities.

Chronic exposure to air pollution is one of the environmental justice-related risk factors that explains why COVID-19 has had disproportionate impacts on marginalized communities. Bodies weakened by years of exposure to toxic industrial chemicals, soot, and smog are more likely to succumb to a virus that attacks the lungs.

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