The 2019 global pandemic and plastic pollution prevention measures: Playing catch-up

Abstract

Abstract The early 2000 s encompassed a rising awareness by the scientific community, the general public and policy makers of the impending environmental catastrophe caused by the increasing prevalence of plastics in the environment. Soon thereafter, a slew of regulatory initiatives and policies and actions targeting plastic pollution were put forth by governments, international institutions, non-governmental organizations, companies and even by citizen groups. However, the 2020 COVID19 pandemic has disrupted this momentum, and, presently, many fear that plastic pollution will increase, not only due to the increased consumption of single-use plastic items, but also due to the ever growing need of personal protective equipment. Many plastic pollution reduction policies have been suspended, cancelled or postponed. Herein, some of these delayed policies and initiatives are overviewed and, based on publicly available data, the questions as to whether, at a global level, increased government action to address plastic pollution will continue, or will the pandemic change this paradigm, are tentatively answered, as well as whether the pandemic will affect plastic production, in particular, single-use plastics, and what the potential routes to overcome these tendencies may be. As such, the dynamics of the interaction between the restrictive measures adopted in the wake of this pandemic and plastic pollution are examined, as are the roles of different legislative and regulatory bodies, whether at the local, regional or international levels.