COVID 19: A New Type of Pollution.

The year 2020 has sure been an eventful one; definitely one for the annals of history.

For 216 countries and territories of the world, the star and main feature for the year has been the public health emergency created by COVID-19. What is this disease? And why is it so powerful, with such far-reaching effects that it pressed the pause and reset buttons on the entire world? Here are the essentials:

ü  The coronavirus disease-2019 popularly referred to as COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by the coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), which emerged in the city of Wuhan China in December of 2019 and presents itself as a severe acute respiratory syndrome in human beings.

ü  Although there are still speculations as to the primary and intermediate origins of the virus and its mode of transfer to humans, one thing is certain, the virus is rapidly transmitted from person-to-person through direct contact with the droplets produced from coughing, sneezing and even talking.

ü  The symptoms range from mild to severe with cough, sore throat, fever, chills, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and difficulty in breathing; to acute respiratory distress syndrome, respiratory failure, cardiac arrest and death. The risk of death is highest in older people and people with underlying medical conditions.

ü  No effective medicine or vaccine has been approved to combat this virus till date. Therefore, experts recommend the use of non-pharmaceutical means of personal cleanliness by the frequent washing of hands with soap and use of antiseptic solutions, wearing of face masks and hand gloves; and maintaining social distancing.

ü  In a bid to slow down the spread of the virus and its attendant death rate, governments of the world locked down their countries for many months, placing very strict restrictions on movement with exceptions given only for emergency services around food, health, fire and security.

I think we are all caught up on the basics, yes? Yes!

Now, while the world cries out for the huge socio-economic disruptions caused by this pandemic around the globe, our global environment quietly heaved a sigh of relief and recorded numerous gains – improved air and water quality, reduction of noise and restoration of ecology.

Industrial nations like China, USA, France and Brazil recorded a 30-60% reduction in air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions from industries, transportation and companies being closed down, developing nations like India and Bangladesh recorded massive reductions in water pollution. It is reported that many aquatic species that had long disappeared from the Grand Canal of Italy have since reappeared and the food waste amount in Tunisia has greatly reduced. With the imposed lockdown, elevated levels of sound generated from human activities and communication in most cities (e.g. Germany and India) was greatly reduced. Tourist locations were not left out with islands, mangroves, beaches, parks, deserts and mountains returning to their natural ecology so much so that dolphins returned to the coasts and waterways of Bengal, Bangladesh and Venice, Italy and the seawater in Cox Beach became clear.

In the attempt to protect ourselves from the contracting the virus, another type of pollutant has emerged – an increase in the use of safety equipment and their improper disposal. In February this year, China’s daily production of medical masks increased to 14.8 million. We are talking DAILY production here! And this just for China

Have you ever calculated the number of boxes of disposable face masks you have used since this outbreak? Take a step further and ask yourself, where does all these extra stuff end up? Let me give you an idea; since most people lack adequate knowledge of waste management, they get dumped in open places which end up in waterways and landfills.

 These materials contain micro-plastic fibres that are not easily biodegradable but, will release numerous toxic elements into the environment. Before the coronavirus outbreak, countries of the world were already in discussions concerning the massive threat that plastic pollution poses to our planet. Now imagine a scenario where every person used a single use face mask per day for a year – It is estimated that an additional 57,000 tonnes of plastic packaging and 66,000 tonnes of contaminated waste will be generated! Just one person! In a single year! Now multiply that by the number of your family members, then the number of staff in banks, hospitals, hotels, stores etc. Do you want to hazard a guess?

There are numerous, environmentally friendly Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) like the AirX, a biodegradable coffee face mask; the Can-Mask, a biodegradable version of the N95Masks and the see-through transparent masks. These options come at a price that may not be readily accessible to everyone, so experts agree that until biodegradable masks become more affordable, reusable cloth masks (even DIY versions) are just as effective. Not only do they protect you, they save you money, and also help save our environment.

In crafting your own face masks, there are important details to be noted for maximum protection.

• .      Use cotton fabrics with a higher weave density AKA thread count or hybrids of cotton such as cotton-silk, cotton-chiffon and cotton-flannel. You can repurpose old towels, denim and antimicrobial pillowcases. To ensure you have the right fabric, light should not come through the weave when held against a light.
• .      Use multiple layers or a combination of different fabrics to increase the filtration level. Avoid single layers; cloth masks should have at least 3 layers.
• .      Mask designs should form a tight seal with the face to prevent leakages from gaps in the sides or back.
• .      Cloth masks should be washed at 60 degrees Celsius to kill any virus particles.

Some may argue that humans have lived with many viruses in the past and they will learn to live with this virus but the impact of the coronavirus will be debated for decades to come. The short term improvements in air, sound and ecological quality are great but must not be overplayed to mask the additional plastic pollution presented by the virus.

In the name of escaping death by a virus now, let us not orchestrate our death by plastics in the nearest future. Protect yourself AND protect the environment!