The silent killer that accompanies COVID-19
Even as the coronavirus load is leaving India breathless, it is also slowly but surely throttling the environment. Yes, the air is becoming less polluted due to fewer vehicles on the road, the rivers are getting clearer as industrial effluents are down to a trickle and there is a worldwide decrease in carbon footprint.
But there is a silent killer, the slow poisoning of water bodies at an alarming rate due to disposable personal protective equipment.
As environmentalists observed World Oceans Day earlier this month, there was a disturbing video by French non-profit Opération Mer Propre about divers unearthing ‘Covid waste’.
Masks, gloves and bottles of hand sanitisers were further whittling down the purity of the Mediterranean Sea, already overburdened by the usual litter of disposable plastic bottles and cans.
This is set to increase as apart from healthcare workers, many other high-contact category sectors like airline cabin crew now have to don PPEs. The masks are made of polymers that can take over 350 years to decompose. Once the rains set in, such waste can get washed down the drains and break down into tiny pieces called microplastics.
These would end up in water bodies, wreaking havoc on the marine ecosystem. These materials also pose a threat to stray cattle that are known to ingest plastics. One can imagine the disastrous health consequences as many of these animals end up in slaughterhouses.
Further, improper disposal can cause a spike in virus outbreak. Chennai alone is estimated to produce six-eight tonnes of biomedical waste daily. The need of the hour is safe disposal of masks and other PPEs. For instance, the Chennai Corporation has signed a pact with two treatment facilities: Workers will collect waste from containment zones in GPS-enabled vehicles, and dispose of them scientifically.
What is a sustainable option? Unlike disposable surgical masks, reusable cloth masks are eco-friendly. Though not meant for frontline workers, the public can use such cloth masks, which experts have said is a viable option, provided they are washed every eight hours. Research on sustainable protective gear is required to save the planet.