Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on single-use of plastics in some american firms: Policy insights

Abstract

As COVID-19 continues to present unimaginable threats to the future of the environment, it is not impossible to rethink that the continual existence of human race is at stake. More than 60% of toxic wastes released to the environment are largely contributed by manufacturing and service firms. Hence, this present study examined the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on corporate waste management program among selected American firms. A total of 42 notable firms across 3 cities in the US (Detroit, Atlanta and Houston) were successfully interviewed on their choices to reduce, reuse, recycle and recover their industrial waste since the outbreak of COVID-19. More than 80% of firms studied often generate plastics as waste; out of which, all firms (100%) agreed that COVID-19 encumbered their choices to manage plastic wastes. This study reasoned that COVID-19 will undoubtedly contribute to plastic pollution and its associated ecological risk in the US if appropriate measures are not painstakingly implemented. This study therefore recommends that Government and relevant stakeholders should restructure existing waste management policies and sensitize American firms on grave dangers of plastic pollution and other toxic wastes in the environment. Meanwhile, this study has great implications for countries in the developing world. This is because developing countries are already mired with the challenges of managing plastic wastes in the pre- COVID-19 era and are further overwhelmed with the unprecedented plastic waste generation during COVID-19. Considering that in Africa and other developing nation, standard waste management technologies and waste emergency policies to curb the pandemic is lacking or insufficient, and hence suggesting they may witness more serious impact of plastic pollution. Government at all tiers should not only make laudable waste management policies to curb environmental pollution, but must show sincerity of purpose and political-will to implement and enforce these polices to curtail impeding global impact of plastic pollution aggravated by COVID-19 pandemic

Keywords

• ecological risks
• plastic pollution
• american firms
• covid-19 pandemic