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Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on waste management

Author

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  • Samuel Asumadu Sarkodie

    (Nord University Business School)

  • Phebe Asantewaa Owusu

    (Nord University Business School)

Abstract

The containment of the spread of COVID-19 pandemic and limitations on commercial activities, mobility and manufacturing sector have significantly affected waste management. Waste management is critical to human development and health outcomes, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. The invaluable service provided by the waste management sector ensures that the unusual heaps of waste that poses health risks and escalate the spread of COVID-19 is avoided. In this study, we assess the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on waste management by observing lockdown and social distancing measures. We found that the quantity of waste increased across countries observing the social distancing measure of staying at home. The intensification of single-use products and panic buying have increased production and consumption, hence thwarting efforts towards reducing plastic pollution. However, several countries have thus far instituted policies to ensure sustainable management of waste while protecting the safety of waste handlers.

Suggested Citation

  • Samuel Asumadu Sarkodie & Phebe Asantewaa Owusu, 2021. "Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on waste management," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 23(5), pages 7951-7960, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:endesu:v:23:y:2021:i:5:d:10.1007_s10668-020-00956-y
    DOI: 10.1007/s10668-020-00956-y
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Klemeš, Jiří Jaromír & Fan, Yee Van & Tan, Raymond R. & Jiang, Peng, 2020. "Minimising the present and future plastic waste, energy and environmental footprints related to COVID-19," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 127(C).
    2. Moreno-Sánchez, Rocío Del Pilar & Maldonado, Jorge Higinio, 2006. "Surviving from garbage: the role of informal waste-pickers in a dynamic model of solid-waste management in developing countries," Environment and Development Economics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 11(3), pages 371-391, June.
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    1. Yalin Yuan & Minyue Xu & Hanxin Chen, 2022. "What Factors Affect Farmers’ Levels of Domestic Waste Sorting Behavior? A Case Study from Shaanxi Province, China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(19), pages 1-14, September.
    2. Walter Leal Filho & Amanda Lange Salvia & Arminda Paço & Celia Dias-Ferreira & Samara Neiva & Izabela Simon Rampasso & Rosley Anholon & Claudio Ruy Portela de Vasconcelos & João Henrique Paulino Pires, 2022. "Assessing the Connections between COVID-19 and Waste Management in Brazil," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(13), pages 1-19, July.
    3. Jeadran Malagón-Rojas & Daniela Mendez-Molano & Julia Almentero & Yesith G. Toloza-Pérez & Eliana L. Parra-Barrera & Claudia P. Gómez-Rendón, 2022. "Environmental Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Experience of Bogotá, 2020," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(10), pages 1-11, May.
    4. Kentaka Aruga, 2022. "Impact of the Number of Hours Spent at Home on the Volume of Municipal Waste Generated: Evidence from Tokyo during the COVID-19 Pandemic," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(10), pages 1-10, May.
    5. Youqing Lv & Guojian Ma & Juan Ding, 2022. "Evolutionary Game Analysis of Medical Waste Disposal in China under Different Reward and Penalty Models," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(8), pages 1-19, April.
    6. Leili Mohammadi & Ahmad Mehravaran & Zahra Derakhshan & Ehsan Gharehchahi & Elza Bontempi & Mohammad Golaki & Razieh Khaksefidi & Mohadeseh Motamed-Jahromi & Mahsa Keshtkar & Amin Mohammadpour & Hamid, 2022. "Investigating the Role of Environmental Factors on the Survival, Stability, and Transmission of SARS-CoV-2, and Their Contribution to COVID-19 Outbreak: A Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(18), pages 1-16, September.
    7. Vasile Gherheș & Mariana Cernicova-Buca & Marcela Alina Fărcașiu & Adina Palea, 2021. "Romanian Students’ Environment-Related Routines during COVID-19 Home Confinement: Water, Plastic, and Paper Consumption," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(15), pages 1-24, August.
    8. Bartosz Orzeł & Radosław Wolniak, 2022. "Digitization in the Design and Construction Industry—Remote Work in the Context of Sustainability: A Study from Poland," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(3), pages 1-25, January.
    9. Deng, Yawen & Ng Tsan Sheng, Adam & Xu, Jiuping, 2023. "Authority-enterprise equilibrium based mixed subsidy mechanism for the value-added treatment of food waste," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 282(C).
    10. Lingfei Wang & Yuqin Yang & Guoyan Wang, 2022. "The Clean Your Plate Campaign: Resisting Table Food Waste in an Unstable World," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(8), pages 1-17, April.
    11. Fatimah Md Yusoff & Ahmad Fikri Abdullah & Ahmad Zaharin Aris & Wahidah Ahmad Dini Umi, 2021. "Impacts of COVID-19 on the Aquatic Environment and Implications on Aquatic Food Production," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(20), pages 1-27, October.

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