In their study, the researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences assume that a large part of the Corona waste (87.4 per cent) - especially in Asian countries - originated in hospitals. Masks and other protective equipment for private use account for 7.6 per cent of the additional waste, according to the study, and packaging for online commerce for about 4.7 per cent. The Corona pandemic led to an increased demand for and use of single-use plastic products, writes the research team led by scientists Yiming Peng and Peipei Wu. Especially in regional pandemic hotspots, not all waste would be disposed of, treated or recycled in an environmentally sound manner, but ended up in the environment and some of it ends up in the oceans. Since the beginning of the year until August, more than 25,000 tonnes of Corona waste have been released into the world's oceans. According to a recent report to which the researchers refer, 1.56 billion masks alone are said to have been washed into the oceans. To protect the marine environment and inhabitants from the consequences of such inputs, the researchers called for better management of medical waste, especially in developing countries.

Sources:

• umweltwirtschaft.com (12/11/2021)
• Photo: Pixabay