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The major hurdle in recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic would be the safe management of plastic waste generated from personal protective equipment and mitigating a plastic pollution crisis. Facemasks were adopted worldwide as the first line of defense against the COVID-19 pandemic, and their demand increased exponentially during the last few years. Through a life cycle assessment, this study aims to evaluate the environmental impacts of various facemasks available in the UAE market. SimaPro software was used to conduct a cradle-to-grave LCA, with a functional unit of "The number of face masks required by a person in UAE over a month (30 days)". Results show that the GWP (in kg CO 2 eq) of 1 FU of surgical FM is 0.867, activated carbon FM is 1.11, N95 FM is 1.55, cloth FM is 0.642, and PLA FM is 0.946. Packaging increases the GWP by 36–178%. Long-distance transportation from China to UAE was identified to be a significant hotspot under GWP and FRS. Other hotspots include polypropylene material in filtration layers, aluminum in nosepieces, electricity usage in cloth masks, and disposal scenarios. Multiple supply chain optimizations are suggested, such as the substitution of recycled aluminum in nose pieces, the use of sustainable transportation, and limiting the use of packaging material to a bare minimum to improve the sustainability of the face mask industry. [Display omitted] • SimaPro software was used to conduct a cradle-to-grave LCA study on facemasks. • N95 facemasks have highest impacts in all categories. Cloth mask has the lowest. • Long distance transportation was a major hotspot for GWP. • Packaging material accounts for 27–70% of total waste; increases GWP by 36–178%. • Supply chain optimization and raw material substitutions can reduce the environmental impacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents an analysis of the impact of COVID-19 lockdown on people's mobility trends, air quality, and utility consumption in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates (UAE). Records of lockdown and subsequent easing measures, infection and vaccination rates, community mobility reports, remotely sensed and ground-based air quality data, and utility (electricity, water, and gas) consumption data were collected and analyzed in the study. The mobility trends reflected the stringency of the lockdown measures, increasing in the residential sector but decreasing in all other sectors. The data showed significant improvement in air quality corresponding to the lockdown measures in 2020 followed by gradual deterioration as the lockdown measures were eased. Electricity and water consumption increased in the residential sector during the lockdown; however, overall utility consumption did not show significant changes. The changes in mobility were correlated with the relevant air quality parameters, such as NO2, which in turn was highly correlated to O3. The study provides data and analysis to support future planning and response efforts in Sharjah. Furthermore, the methodology used in the study can be applied to assess the impacts of COVID-19 or similar events on people's mobility, air quality and utility consumption at other geographical locations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThis study presents an analysis of O3, NO2, and PM10 variations in Sharjah City, UAE, from 2018 to 2021. Data from monitoring stations across the city showed consistent daily, weekly, and monthly trends. Ozone and NO2 were inversely related, with O3 increasing and NO2 decreasing from noon to sunset, and vice versa afterward. Weekends exhibited a weekend effect, with high O3 and low NO2 levels. Winters had high NO2 and low O3 levels, while summers showed the opposite trend. Urban and industrial stations had higher NO2 and lower O3 levels compared to sub-urban and rural stations. PM10 levels peaked in the afternoon to late evenings and decreased during nights and early mornings. They were lowest on weekends and highest at the start of the weeks, with July as the peak and December as the lowest month for PM10. During the COVID-19 restrictions of 2020-2021, O3, NO2, and PM10 levels significantly decreased compared to 2018-2019. Higher winds correlated with higher O3 and PM10 levels and lower NO2 levels. This study provides the first documentation of Sharjah’s air quality spatiotemporal variations pre-to-post COVID-19 restrictions using ground measurements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is spreading globally having a profound effect on lives of millions of people, causing worldwide economic disruption. Curbing the spread of COVID-19 and future pandemics may be accomplished through understanding the environmental context of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and adoption of effective detection tools and mitigation policies. This article aims to examine the latest investigations on SARS-CoV-2 plausible environmental transmission modes, employment of wastewater surveillance for early detection of COVID-19, and elucidating the role of solid waste, water, and atmospheric quality on viral infectivity. Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 via faecal-oral or bio-aerosols lacks robust evidence and remains debatable. However, improper disinfection and defected plumbing systems in indoor environments such as hospitals and high-rise towers may facilitate the transport of virus-laden droplets of wastewater causing infection. Clinical and epidemiological studies are needed to present robust evidence that SARS-CoV-2 is transmissible via aerosols, though quantification of virus-laden aerosols at low concentrations presents a challenge. Wastewater surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 can be an effective tool in early detection of outbreak and determination of COVID-19 prevalence within a population, complementing clinical testing and providing decision makers guidance on restricting or relaxing movement. While poor air quality increases susceptibility to diseases, evidence for air pollution impact on COVID-19 infectivity is not available as infections are dynamically changing worldwide. Solid waste generated by households with infected individuals during the lockdown period may facilitate the spread of COVID-19 via fomite transmission route but has received little attention from the scientific community. Water bodies receiving raw sewage may pose risk of infection but this has not been investigated to date. Overall, our understanding of the environmental perspective of SARS-CoV-2 is imperative to detecting outbreak and predicting pandemic severity, allowing us to be equipped with the right tools to curb any future pandemic. Unlabelled Image • Environmental knowledge on SARS-CoV-2 can be beneficial in establishing effective policies for curbing future pandemics • Robust evidence is needed to validate SARS-CoV-2 transmission via aerosol and faecal-oral routes. • SARS-CoV-2 surveillance by wastewater-based epidemiology can be effective in early detection of COVID-19 within a population. • Robust evidence is needed to assess COVID-19 spread as impacted by air pollution and sewage contamination of water bodies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]