COVID-19 pandemic and its impacts on the environment: A global perspective
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Many researchers worldwide have focused on the health impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic without paying much emphasis to the environmental impacts associated with the pandemic. Evidence suggests that prior to the pandemic there was an alarming increase in environmental pollution due to rising industrialization, in particular in urban areas. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, satellite data over Asia and Europe showed a substantial decrease in air pollution, in particular nitrogen dioxide. However, the increase in industrial and household wastes may pose a significant challenge to environmental management. The improper management of these wastes poses an unforeseen "knock-on" effect on human health and the environment. It is imperative to establish an effective and safe procedure, for handling and disposing of the consequential wastes accumulating during the pandemic. The review aims to highlight both the beneficial and detrimental effects of COVID-19 pandemic on the natural environment and to discuss the possible strategies to improve the quality of the global environment during the period of the pandemic and beyond.
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The negative impact of healthcare on the environment was exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic, mainly due to increased intensity of health sector activities and increased use of PPE, diagnostic tools, and vaccines, which increased medical waste generation.
“This negative impact was further exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic, mainly as a result of the increased intensity of health sector activities and the increased use of personal protective equipment (PPE) as well as diagnostic tools and vaccines for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which in both cases translated into an increase in the generation of medical waste.”
From Towards Green and Sustainable Healthcare: A Literature Review and Research Agenda for Green Leadership in the Healthcare Sector (2023) · cites this paper as [17]
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- Authors
- Otolorin, G. R., Oluwatobi, A. I., Olufemi, O. T., Esonu, D. O., Dunka, H. I., Adanu, W. A., Danjuma, F. A., Abiayi, D. C., Adegoke, V. A., Omoniwa, D. O., Oghenefega, O. N., & Mshelbwala, P. P.
- Affiliations
- University of Nottingham (GB)
- Ahmadu Bello University (NG)
- University of Jos (NG)
- Ekiti State University (NG)
- The University of Queensland (AU)
- ORCID
- Venue
- Narra J
- Publisher
- Narra Sains Indonesia
- Published
- 2022-04-01
- Volume
- 2
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- e72-e72
- ISSN
- 2807-2618 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC10914043
- OpenAlex
- W4221123369
- Cited by
- 15
- References
- 47
- Citations by year
- 2025: 5 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 3
- FWCI
- 0.32
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- diamond
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Narra J (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Global and Planetary Change › COVID-19 impact on air quality
- Social Sciences › Economics, Econometrics and Finance › Economics and Econometrics › COVID-19 Pandemic Impacts
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Legal, Health, Environmental and COVID-19 Challenges
- Keywords
- COVID-19 pandemic, environmental impact, air pollution, nitrogen dioxide, industrial waste, household waste, waste management, environmental health, urban pollution
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