Plastic use skyrockets during pandemic, say environmentalists

AMMAN — The pandemic has pushed many in Jordan to consume more single-use plastic, intensifying the global plastic waste problem.

“Plastic is everywhere,” said Baraa Ahmad, a Jordanian environmentalist who started a neighbourhood initiative in 2021 to increase green space.

“Now with the pandemic, most people use plastic masks that they toss away after using once, leading to a much bigger problem,” Ahmad added.

Plastic consumption and production has skyrocketed during the pandemic, according to Ahmad, who highlighted that most plastic businesses in Jordan have thrived during the crisis.

She added: “Plastic impacts our planet in many ways; it threatens wildlife, releases highly toxic substances and has many harmful effects.” 

“People have started using massive amounts of plastic packaging and this is not okay,” Sana Said, a pharmacist, told The Jordan Times over the phone.

Said added that the use of single-use plastic masks and gloves has shot up during the pandemic.

Said noted that most plastic is from the medical waste generated by hospitals and medical complexes.

“It is crucial to shift towards sustainable alternatives to plastic as soon as possible,” she said.

“Currently there is an unmanaged plastic waste problem in Jordan and the world,” said Mahmoud Bilal, a Jordanian physician.

He added that the COVID-19 crisis has worsened the already “out-of-control plastic pollution”. 

During the ongoing pandemic, people paid less attention to the undesired impact of plastic on the environment and society’s health, according to Bilal.

“It is very important to take a life cycle approach to plastic and to have a full understanding of the chemicals used in producing it,” he said.

Also noting the increased use of plastic during the pandemic, Nada Omar said: “The other day I went to a salon and drank water from a single-use container, but before the pandemic they used to serve water in reusable cups.”

Hala Abdulla, the owner of a clothing shop in Amman, said: “The pandemic has increased the demand for online shopping, which means plastic packaging has significantly increased”.