Could COVID-19 be benefiting the

environment?
So, most of us have heard of COVID-19 and its effects. In the span of just a few months, our
lives have changed. Millions of people have been infected, thousands of people have died, stock
markets have plummeted, and millions of people are now unemployed. But there has also been
unexpected and positive environmental consequences. And could it be that COVID-19 is helping
the earth?

What is a coronavirus
Coronaviruses are a family of viruses that cause diseases in mammals and birds. In
humans, these viruses cause respiratory tract infections that can range from mild to lethal.
Mild illnesses include some cases of the common cold.
 The reduction in air pollution is only temporary

https://www.earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/146362/airborne-nitrogen-dioxide-plummets-over-china

In the beginning of the year, nitrogen dioxide emissions in eastern and central China were 10–
30% lower than what is normally observed for this time period and coal use fell by 40% at China
six largest power plants since the last quarter of 2019. In 337 cities throughout China the days
with “good quality air” went up 11.4% compared to the same time last year, according to its
Ministry of Ecology and Environment. According to NASA, after just a week of reduced human
activities, air pollution in northern India dropped to a 20 year low for this time of the year. New
data from the Copernicus Sentinel-5P satellite reveal the decline of air pollution, specifically
nitrogen dioxide concentrations, over Italy. This decrease is particularly noticeable in northern
Italy. Satellite that detects emission in the atmosphere linked to car and trucks show huge
declines in pollution on major metropolitan areas, including Los Angeles, Seattle, New York,
Chicago, and Atlanta. Same story goes for most other countries.
Because of the measures taken to stop COVID-19, this is most likely going to be temporary.
ESA says that in China, from the beginning of March, the nitrogen dioxide levels have begun to
increase as schools, factories, and other public places are staring to reopen, and as workers are
starting to return to their jobs. Keep in mind that a reduction in one pollutant (NO2) does not
necessarily mean air quality is suddenly healthier.
Canals in Venice are clearer, not cleaner
 https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/dolphins-swans-italy-lockdown/

Most people have been posting about the water in Venice’s canals being clearer, but it doesn’t
mean it’s cleaner.
“The water now looks clear because there is less traffic on the canals, allowing the sediment to
stay at the bottom,” the Venice Mayor’s Office told CNN. “It’s because there is less boat traffic
that usually brings sediment to the top of the water’s surface.”
Coronavirus’s impact on wildlife
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/travel/article-coronavirus-fuelled-tourism-meltdown-yields-pros-and-cons-
for/

Ever since the pandemic has started, the idea of the earth resetting itself has surrounded the
internet. With hundreds of reported sightings of animal wandering the city streets, and claims
that animals are taking back nature, most of these seem to be true while others are spreading
misinformation.
In Nara, Japan, sika deers are roaming the streets and stations looking for food due to the drop
of tourists who would normally feed them in city parks.
The famous social media post about dolphins and swans returning to Venice's canals appears to
be fake according to National Geographic and Snopes. The swans in the post were in Burano, a
small island in the great Venice metropolitan area. The dolphins shown in the video were not
swimming in the Venice canals but off the coast of Sardinia, an Italian island in the
Mediterranean Sea.
On March 24, Chilean authorities said a wild puma had been captured after it was found
wandering around the centre of Santiago, Chile's capital, in search of food. It was soon
transferred to the Santiago zoo to undergo tests. At this time, Chile was under a nighttime curfew
because of the pandemic.
"This is the habitat they once had and that we've taken away from them," said Marcelo Giagnoni,
the director of the agricultural and livestock service that help captured the puma.
Coronavirus’s impact on waste
 https://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/3074722/coronavirus-leaves-china-mountains-medical-waste

More than 20 cities throughout mainland China have been overloaded with medical waste and
are struggling to dispose it safely, including Wuhan, the centre of the COVID-19 outbreak,
producing up to six times its usual amount of medical waste, authorities said.
The South China Morning Post reported that hospitals in Wuhan produced more than 240
tonnes of medical waste every day during the height of the outbreak, compared to the 40 tonnes
before the epidemic occurred. In fact, medical waste facilities in 29 cities were at or near full
capacity.
Because it is seen as a more sanitary option, in Europe, consumer demand for packaged goods
is skyrocketing. In Italy, consumer spend on packaged mandarins rose over 111% in the week
ending on March 8, versus the same period in 2019.
In the US, reusable bags have been banned in several states including New Hampshire, Illinois,
and Massachusetts due to the beliefs that it will lower the risk.
According to a study done by the New England Journal of Medicine, researchers tested the
virus on different surfaces. They found that the virus was more stable on plastic and stainless
steel than on copper and cardboard. It was lasted up to 72 hours after application to plastic and
stainless steel, 4 hours on copper, and 24 hours on cardboard.
The bottom line
So back to the question, could COVID-19 benefit the environment? Yes in the short term but
not in the long term. This is only happening because of the measures to stop it from spreading.
“This really shouldn’t be seen as a sliver lining,” McGill University associate professor and
epidemiologist Jill Baumgartner told the New York Times. “It’s not a sustainable way to reduce
air pollution, and the long-term economic and wellbeing impacts of this crisis are going to be
devastating for many people.
Although many things have happened in the midst of the pandemic, good or bad, these results
are only going to be temporary.

Sources:
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20200326-covid-19-the-impact-of-coronavirus-on-the-
environment
https://www.earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/146362/airborne-nitrogen-dioxide-plummets-
over-china
https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/146596/airborne-particle-levels-plummet-in-northern-
india
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/factcheck/2020/03/25/fact-check-coronavirus-crisis-
benefiting-environment/2908300001/
https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/dolphins-swans-italy-lockdown/
https://venngage.com/blog/coronavirus-impact-on-environment-infographic/#3
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/3074722/coronavirus-leaves-china-mountains-
medical-waste
https://www.wsj.com/articles/trash-industry-braces-for-potential-deluge-of-coronavirus-waste-
11585560600
https://www.straitstimes.com/world/americas/coronavirus-wild-puma-captured-in-deserted-chile-
capital
https://www.foodnavigator.com/Article/2020/04/01/Plastic-packaging-Hero-or-villain-in-the-
coronavirus-era#
https://www.marketwatch.com/story/politicians-ban-reusable-grocery-bags-for-spreading-
coronavirus-whats-the-science-say-2020-03-31
https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMc2004973?mod=article_inline
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/03/22/climate/coronavirus-usa-traffic.html
https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Videos/2020/03/Coronavirus_nitrogen_dioxide_emissions
_drop_over_Italy
https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/venice-canals-clear-water-scli-intl/index.html
https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/03/stock-market-volatility-coronavirus/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2020_stock_market_crash
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coronavirus