The global Covid-19 pandemic is not only a threat to human health, as it is quickly becoming a threat to our planet's environment too. The amount of waste, especially plastic waste, that is being produced worldwide everyday is truly alarming. Since lockdown measures have been introduced, food delivery services have increased due to people staying at home and restaurants shutting down dine in services. This also means that the volume of single-use plastic food containers, cutlery, and bags has substantially increased.
According to the Thailand Environment Institute (TEI), waste related to food delivery services "in this stay-at-home period rose by 15% to 6,300 tonnes a day nationwide," compared to the 1,500 tonnes of waste it normally produces per day (1). In addition to delivery services, dine in services are also contributing to the plastic waste problem. In the UAE for example, as restaurants begin to reopen, most of them are required by law to substitute their regular, reusable items with disposable plastic plates, cups, and utensils in an attempt to avoid the transmission of the coronavirus between customers(2). Science, however, shows that such measures are not effective. A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine (3) showed that the virus can remain on plastic surfaced for up to 72 hours- a period longer than materials like cardboard (24 hours) and copper (4 hours). In addition, as statement signed by over 100 scientists said that reusable items are perfectly safe to use during the pandemic if washed thoroughly with hot water and detergent or soap (4).
(1) https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/1906295/covid-19-pushes-plastic-waste-rise
(3) https://www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NEJMc2004973
(4) https://bioplasticsnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Reusable-Safe-Statement.pdf
Takeaway waste has doubled in Hong Kong
Dining restrictions in Hong Kong ban dining past 6 PM. During daytime restaurants must operate at a 50% reduced capacity. The urban dwellers of Hong Kong also often live in small apartments with no kitchen equipment that would allow them to cook. The new policies and limited ability to cook for oneself has sharply increased the popularity of takeaway food. As a result, the city's inhabitants are consuming over 101 million disposable plastic items for takeaway every week according to the environmental group Greeners Action. The takeaway waste is clogging the streets and parks and finding its way to waterways of Hong Kong. The amount of takeaway waste is especially concerning as single-use plastic tableware is one top ten categories of marine litter in Hong Kong. The city has also already announced it will expand its landfills as they will reach their capacity this year...
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