The Impact of COVID-19 on the Environment Throughout the World

Deepanjali Bisht
Aug 2, 2021
4 min read

Updated: Aug 14, 2021

Written by : Deepanjali Bisht

Edited by : Karyn Sethi

What is COVID-19?

COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by the coronavirus. Its symptoms can range from that of the common flu to serious respiratory problems which can be fatal. The coronavirus outbreak was declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern by WHO on 30 January 2020, and a pandemic on 11 March 2020. In the past year, people all over the world have had to quarantine in their homes to ensure safety against the virus. Due to human beings not engaging with the world outside the walls of their houses as much, the environment has been impacted in tremendous ways by the pandemic.

Impacts in Asia

During this COVID-19 outbreak, various restrictions have been implemented to control the number of coronavirus cases within countries. Covid positive patients have been put into immediate isolation, travel bans have been implemented within countries, and international borders have been closed or controlled to eliminate the entry of Covid patients into countries.

Because of such travel restrictions, there’ve been a lot of positive influences on the environment in Asia. Transboundary haze pollution, more commonly known as air pollution, has decreased because of the fall in the number of vehicles out on the road. The infamous polluted cities: New Delhi, Bangkok, São Paulo, and Bogotá have reported to having clearer skies. Nitrogen dioxide concentrations and PM 2.5 levels have been observed to have reduced because of industrial facilities and power plants closing. The curfews implemented and the strong social distancing measures have helped in the improvement of the overall air and water quality, reduction in noise levels, and land surface temperature.

However, in countries such as Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand, the production and use of plastic waste is happening in abundance due to the increasing number of online shoppers. Because of the lockdown, people have started online shopping from the comfort of their own houses. This has led to increases in the shipment of single-use plastic. Medical waste has significantly increased in Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Thailand due to medical equipment and protective gear being used in hospitals. At the same time, the solid waste workforce is limited due to the lockdowns. Because of this, the COVID-19 virus is present on plastic surfaces for longer amounts of time, allowing the virus to spread faster.

Impacts in Africa

Due to food shortages and a decline in law enforcement for wildlife protection, there has been an increase in illegal hunting. Endangered species such as pangolin are being smuggled into China and Southeast Asia for consumption. In March 2020, six animals were killed by poachers in Okavango Delta, because of which the government workers had to evacuate black rhinos from the facility.

Personal Protection Equipment, PPE, also acts as a major threat to the environment in Africa as it is being disposed of in both land and marine environments. Sanitation is also a threat to countries such as Kenya, which don’t have proper disposal sites for medical waste such as surgical masks and gloves. Medical waste is quickly filling up dumpsites. In Nigeria, face masks are thrown on highways and in drainage systems, which blocks them. Plastic waste pollution throughout the continent has been on an incline as there aren’t enough resources for recycling and inefficient waste collection.

Impacts in Europe

Due to the health protocols, the consumption and production of masks and gloves have increased. Certain food production processes have resulted in higher greenhouse gas emissions as well as waste that harms the environment. The domestic production of plastic had decreased at a quick rate during the beginning of the pandemic, but went back to its normal production rate by October 2020, when restrictions became more lenient again. During this time, disposal of single-use plastic had a distinct impact on the environment due to restaurants only being open for take-out.

The quality of air has improved drastically in most European countries due to the lack of Nitrogen Dioxide in the air (which is usually emitted by vehicles such as cars). In London and Edinburgh, Nitrogen Dioxide levels have dropped by 60 percent. Countries with more COVID-19 patients have shown a higher improvement in air quality compared to those which were less affected by the virus.

Impacts in North America

During the COVID-19 outbreak in North America, different states in the US dealt with the situation differently. Maine postponed a plastic bag ban as the production of an alternate material wasn’t feasible at the time. New Hampshire and Massachusetts banned reusable bags and required stores to use paper or single-use plastic bags. The state of New York banned single-use plastics on 15 March, 2020. However, after the pandemic began, the ban was postponed to 15th May in order to help with the immediate health crisis. Currently, as the pandemic goes on, 12 percent of the individuals surveyed have claimed to reduce their consumption of meat because of the health crisis. Particulate matter levels in the US have also been observed to have decreased by 20.6% in March 2020.

Impacts in Australia

Since the pandemic began, some districts in Melbourne experienced a 24% decrease in particulate matter. This is due to the drop in the movement of vehicles within the city which also resulted in a decrease in Nitrogen Dioxide emissions. Another contributing factor to this change is the decline in industrial activities and air travel.

Since wearing face masks became mandatory in Victoria during the second COVID-19 wave, approximately 104 - 106 tonnes of face masks were generated. However, despite the newly created waste pollution, the levels of noise pollution have significantly decreased due to the reduction in the usage of public transport.

What You Can Do

Since the start of this pandemic, each of us have had our personal struggles coping with academics and social circles. Mental health levels have deteriorated and everyone is trying to come to terms with the challenges being faced. None of this is easy for any of us. But it’s not easy on the planet either. We need to learn about the global effects of our actions and how we can change them. Reducing plastic usage will make a difference whether reported or not. Currently, public transport is posing a lot of health concerns. However, after we get through tough times, it could be the best option for everyone as it is a cheaper mode of transportation and it helps reduce air pollution significantly! Keep yourself educated on matters related to the environment as well.