The pandemic COVID-19 in the world has dramatically increased the number of plastic waste – UN
KIEV. July 29. UNN. The UN is concerned that the pandemic COVID-19 in the world has dramatically increased the number of plastic waste, and many of the beaches and streets littered with disposable masks, gloves and empty bottles from under disinfection. It is reported by the UN news Center, reports UNN.
According to the study, conducted under the auspices of the UN Conference on trade and development (UNCTAD), quarantine measures against the coronavirus led to a sharp reduction of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, but at the same time has generated mountains of waste, hazardous to the environment.
“The plastic pollution and to the outbreak of the coronavirus was one of the biggest threats to our planet, and the sudden need for daily use certain products designed to protect people and to stop the virus, even more exacerbated the already alarming situation”, – said the Director of UNCTAD’s international trade Pamela Kok-Hamilton.
According to the consulting company Grand View Research, sales alone disposable masks will grow from $ 800 million in 2019 to $ 166 billion dollars in 2020.
It is also noted that, according to the survey conducted by The Los Angeles Times, 8 weeks of quarantine restrictions 5.7 million Singapore residents threw packages at 1470 tons more than usual.
“Experts fear that around 75% of plastic waste, which appeared in connection with the fight against coronavirus, is likely to be in our landfills and in our seas. The consequences of all this will cost humanity dearly – in all senses. For example, economic losses in fisheries, tourism and marine transportation will be approximately $ 40 billion per year”, – informed in the UN.
The organization added that the waste – one of the inevitable consequences of the pandemic, but, according to the UN, can be significantly mitigated through the production of substitutes for plastics made from environmentally friendly materials.
As reported UNN, the pandemic COVID-19 world tourism lost $ 320 billion.