Materials News
Plastics under the pandemic lens The Covid-19 pandemic has revealed the best and the worst of plastics (and rubber) use. Meanwhile, stemming a post-pandemic onslaught of waste, recycling is by far the best solution offered by industry experts, says Angelica Buan in this report. Plastics: on the winning end in pandemic The Covid-19 pandemic has bolstered the use of plastics even more in the healthcare and retail space, and it is no denying the fact that plastic as a material has had its shining moment during this pandemic. According to a study by Dr David Fengwei Xie, a Marie Sklodowska-Curie Fellow at the University of Warwick, UK, the pandemic has shown that plastic is indispensable, especially for health safety, with demand rising for medical devices and personal protective equipment (PPE), all of which are either made of or have significant components of plastic materials.
Waste generation to contend with Thus, a future of more plastic is likely, according to Xie. But increased use of plastics abets greater waste generation, and spawns the build-up of plastic pollution. Since 2018 when China started the ban on plastic waste imports, developed countries have been in a movement to reduce plastic wastes. Goals have been set to eliminate single-use plastic items such as bags, straws and cutlery. Besides, there have been discussions regarding the reduction of plastic wastes from laboratories and hospitals. However, under the influence of the unprecedented Covid-19 pandemic starting in early 2020, the industry may now need to re-think the question: Is the future more plastic? And although the pandemic is temporary, the resulting pollution is “long-lasting”, Xie said. Two sides to plastics use: health or environment Now, the situation presents two sides: protecting health or the environment; a choice between the devil and the deep blue sea. Xie cites gloves as an example of PPEs that have witnessed staggering demand during this period. Relatedly, gloves, which are made of rubber, are essential
Dr David Fengwei Xie from the University of Warwick , poses the question, is the future more plastic in a recent study. He says that plastics are indispensable especially for health safety, with demand rising for medical devices and personal protective equipment
M e a n w h i l e , D m i t r y K o n o v, C h a i r m a n o f t h e Management Board of Russian petrochemicals company Sibur, says in an article published by the WeForum that how plastics have remained “the most reliable and affordable solution for personal protection, “considering its role in safety protection during the Covid-19”. He said that polymers have been perceived as a valuable material for the production of disposable plastic packaging and medical personal protective equipment during the pandemic.
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Rubber gloves, which are essential PPE for healthcare workers, are not on par in eco-friendliness
