The Global disruption caused by the COVID-19 has brought about several effects on the environment and climate. Due to movement restriction and a significant slowdown of social and economic activities, air quality has improved in many cities with a reduction in water pollution in different parts of the world. Besides, increased use of PPE (e.g., face mask, hand gloves etc.), their haphazard disposal, and generation of a huge amount of hospital waste has negative impacts on the environment.
POSITIVE ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
REDUCTION OF AIR POLLUTION AND GHGS EMISSION
As industries, transportation and companies have closed down, it has brought a sudden drop of greenhouse gases (GHGs) emissions. It was estimated that nearly 50% reduction of N2O and CO occurred due to the shutdown of heavy industries in China (Caine, 2020). Also, emission of N2O is one of the key indicators of global economic activities, which indicates a sign of reduction in many countries (e.g., US, Canada, China, India, Italy, Brazil etc.) due to the recent shut down. Overall, much less consumption of fossil fuels lessens the GHGs emission, which helps to combat against global climate change. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), oil demand has dropped 435,000 barrels globally in the first three months of 2020, compared to the same period of last year (IEA, 2020). Besides, global coal consumption is also reduced because of less energy demand during the lockdown period. It is reported that, coal-based power generation reduced 26% in India with 19% reduction of total power generation after lockdown. Again, China, the highest coal consumer in the world, dropped 36% compared to same time of the preceding year (early February to mid-march). According to UK based climate science and policy website Carbon Brief, recent crisis of COVID-19 reduces 25% CO2 emission in China, and nonetheless below the normal limit more than two months after the country entered lockdown. They also projected that, the pandemic could cut 1,600 metric tons of CO2, equivalent to above 4% of the global total in 2019.
REDUCTION OF WATER POLLUTION
Water pollution is a common phenomenon of a developing country like India, and Bangladesh, where domestic and industrial wastes are dumped into rivers without treatment. During the lockdown period, the major industrial sources of pollution have shrunk or completely stopped, which helped to reduce the pollution load. For instance, the river Ganga and Yamuna have reached a significant level of purity due to the absence of industrial pollution on the days of lockdown in India. It is found that, among the 36 real-time monitoring stations of river Ganga, water from 27 stations met the permissible limit. This improvement of water quality at Haridwar and Rishikesh was ascribed to the sudden drop of the number of visitors and 500% reduction of sewage and industrial effluents.
It is reported that, due to the lockdown of COVID-19, the Grand Canal of Italy turned clear, and reappearances of many aquatic species. Usually, huge amount of solid trashes generated from construction and manufacturing process responsible for water and soil pollution, is also reduced. Moreover, owing to the reduction of export-import business, the movement of merchant ship and other vessels are reduced globally, which also reduces emission as well as marine pollution.
REDUCTION OF NOISE POLLUTION
Noise pollution is the elevated levels of sound, generated from different human activities (e.g., machines, vehicles, construction work), which may lead to adverse effects in human and other living organisms. Usually, noise negatively effects on physiological health, along with cardiovascular disorders, hypertension, and sleep shortness of breath in human beings. It is reported that, globally around 360 million people are prone to hearing loss due to noise pollution. Unwanted noise also negatively effects on the invertebrates, that help to control environmental processes which are vital for the balance of the ecosystem. However, the quarantine and lockdown measures mandate that people stay at home and reduced economic activities and communication worldwide, which ultimately reduced noise level in most cities. For instance, noise level of Delhi the capital of India, is reduced drastically around 40–50% in the recent lockdown period. Moreover, due to travel restrictions, the number of flights and vehicular movements have drastically reduced around the world, which have ultimately reduced the level of noise pollution. Overall, COVID-19 lockdown, and lessens of economic activities reduced the noise pollution around the globe.
NEGATIVE ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
INCREASE OF BIOMEDICAL WASTE GENERATION
Since the outbreak of COVID-19, medical waste generation is increased globally, which is a major threat to public health and environment. For sample collection of the suspected COVID-19 patients, diagnosis, treatment of huge number of patients, and disinfection purpose lots of infectious and biomedical wastes are generated from hospitals. Around 206 m tonnes of medical waste are generated per day in Dhaka, because of COVID-19. Such a sudden rise of hazardous waste, and their proper management has become a significant challenge to the local waste management authorities. So, waste generated from the hospitals (e.g., needles, syringes, bandage, mask, gloves, used tissue, and discarded medicines etc.) should be managed properly, to reduce further infection and environmental pollution, which is now a matter of concern globally.
MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE GENERATION AND REDUCTION OF RECYCLING
Increase of municipal waste (both organic and inorganic) generation has direct and indirect effects on environment like air, water and soil pollution.
Due to the pandemic, quarantine policies established in many countries have led to an increase in the demand of online shopping for home delivery, which ultimately increase the amount of household wastes from shipped package material. However, waste recycling is an effective way to prevent pollution, save energy, and conserve natural resources. But, due to the pandemic many countries postponed the waste recycling activities to reduce the transmission of viral infection. Overall, due to disruption of routine municipal waste management, waste recovery and recycling activities, increasing the landfilling and environmental pollutants worldwide.
OTHER EFFECTS ON THE ENVIRONMENT
Recently, huge amount of disinfectants is applied into roads, commercial, and residential areas to exterminate SARS-CoV-2 virus. Such extensive use of disinfectants may kill non-targeted beneficial species, which may create ecological imbalance.
Directly or indirectly, the pandemic is affecting human life and the global economy, which is ultimately affecting the environment and climate. It reminds us how we have neglected the environmental components and enforced human induced climate change. Moreover, the global response of COVID-19 also teaches us to work together to combat against the threat to mankind. Though the impacts of COVID-19 on the environment are short-term, united and proposed time-oriented effort can strengthen environmental sustainability and save the earth from the effects of global climate change.
It is assumed that, all of these environmental consequences are short-term.
So, it is high time to make a proper strategy for long-term benefit, as well as sustainable environmental management. The COVID-19 pandemic has elicited a global response and make us united to win against the virus.
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