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Requena-Sanchez NP, Carbonel D, Demel L, Moonsammy S, Richter A, Mahmud TS, Ng KTW. A multi-jurisdictional study on the quantification of COVID-19 household plastic waste in six Latin American countries. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int 2023; 30:93295-93306. [PMID: 37505388 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-28949-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 07/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
This study examines urban plastic waste generation using a citizen science approach in six Latin American countries during a global pandemic. The objectives are to quantify generation rates of masks, gloves, face shields, and plastic bags in urban households using online survey and perform a systematic cross-jurisdiction comparisons in these Latin American countries. The per capita total mask generation rates ranged from 0.179 to 0.915 mask cap-1 day-1. A negative correlation between the use of gloves and masks is observed. Using the average values, the approximate proportion of masks, gloves, shields, and single-use plastic bags was 34:5:1:84. We found that most studies overestimated face mask disposal rate in Latin America due to the simplifying assumptions on the number of masks discarded per person, masking prevalence rate, and average mask weight. Unlike other studies, end-of-life PPE quantities were directly counted and reported by the survey participants. Both of the conventional weight-based estimates and the proposed participatory survey are recommended in quantifying COVID waste. Participant' perception based on the Likert scale is generally consistent with the waste amount generated. Waste policy and regulation appear to be important in daily waste generation rate. The results highlight the importance of using measured data in waste estimates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Norvin Plumieer Requena-Sanchez
- Integrated Waste Management for Sustainable Development (GIRDS), Faculty of Environmental Engineering, National University of Engineering, Av. Túpac Amaru 210, Rímac, 15333, Lima, Peru
| | - Dalia Carbonel
- Integrated Waste Management for Sustainable Development (GIRDS), Faculty of Environmental Engineering, National University of Engineering, Av. Túpac Amaru 210, Rímac, 15333, Lima, Peru
| | - Larissa Demel
- United Nations Development Program, Apartado, 0816-1914, Panama, Panama
| | - Stephan Moonsammy
- Department of Environmental Studies, Faculty of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Guyana, RV6J+XV8, Turkeyen Campus, Georgetown, Guyana
| | - Amy Richter
- Environmental Systems Engineering, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Parkway, Regina, Saskatchewan, S4S 0A2, Canada
| | - Tanvir Shahrier Mahmud
- Environmental Systems Engineering, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Parkway, Regina, Saskatchewan, S4S 0A2, Canada
| | - Kelvin Tsun Wai Ng
- Environmental Systems Engineering, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Parkway, Regina, Saskatchewan, S4S 0A2, Canada.
- Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Parkway, Regina, Saskatchewan, S4S 0A2, Canada.
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Joseph M, Moonsammy S, Davis H, Warner D, Adams A, Timothy Oyedotun TD. Modelling climate variabilities and global rice production: A panel regression and time series analysis. Heliyon 2023; 9:e15480. [PMID: 37151645 PMCID: PMC10161708 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e15480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2023] [Revised: 04/10/2023] [Accepted: 04/11/2023] [Indexed: 05/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Climate change threatens agriculture and it remains a present global challenge to food security and Sustainable Development Goals. The potential impact on the supply of crops such as rice is seen as a major food security issue that requires intervention on several fronts. The literature on rice production, climate variations and climate change show several studies outlining various impacts on rice supply as a result of variations in temperature and rainfall. This study intends to further explore the impacts on rice production caused by temperature changes and rainfall variation by analyzing and modelling the production of rice by the top rice-producing countries globally. A time series of the national rice production and yield along with national average annual temperature and rainfall were sourced for 15 major rice-producing countries. The trends of the time series were then compared between the rice productivity variables and temperature and rainfall. A panel regression model was also developed to further assess the relationship between rice production and temperature and rainfall. The time series showed that rice production and yield are increasing for the majority of the countries analyzed. The panel regression model however showed that continued increase in temperature can result in decreased production of rice and that rainfall volume directly impacts rice output and therefore shows rice production is highly susceptible to flooding and drought events caused by climate variabilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masha Joseph
- Department of Environmental Studies Faculty of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Guyana, P. O. Box 10 1110, Turkeyen Campus, Greater Georgetown, Guyana
| | - Stephan Moonsammy
- Department of Environmental Studies Faculty of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Guyana, P. O. Box 10 1110, Turkeyen Campus, Greater Georgetown, Guyana
- Corresponding author.
| | - Harold Davis
- Department of Environmental Studies Faculty of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Guyana, P. O. Box 10 1110, Turkeyen Campus, Greater Georgetown, Guyana
| | - Devin Warner
- Hydrometeorological Service, Ministry of Agriculture, Georgetown, Guyana
| | - Ashley Adams
- Department of Environmental Studies Faculty of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Guyana, P. O. Box 10 1110, Turkeyen Campus, Greater Georgetown, Guyana
| | - Temitope D. Timothy Oyedotun
- Department of Geography Faculty of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Guyana, P. O. Box 10 1110, Turkeyen Campus, Greater Georgetown, Guyana
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Requena-Sanchez N, Carbonel D, Moonsammy S, Demel L, Vallester E, Velásquez D, Toledo Cervantes JA, Díaz Núñez VL, Vásquez García R, Santa Cruz M, Visbal E, Ng KTW. COVID-19 impacts on household solid waste generation in six Latin American countries: a participatory approach. Environ Monit Assess 2022; 195:155. [PMID: 36441286 PMCID: PMC9702680 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-022-10771-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2022] [Accepted: 11/16/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has greatly impacted the Americas, the continent with the highest number of COVID-related deaths according to WHO statistics. In Latin America, strict confinement conditions at the beginning of the pandemic put recycling activity to a halt and augmented the consumption of plastic as a barrier to stop the spread of the virus. The lack of data to understand waste management dynamics complicates waste management strategy adjustments aimed at coping with COVID-19. As a novel contribution to the waste management data gap for Latin America, this study uses a virtual and participatory methodology that collects and generates information on household solid waste generation and composition. Data was collected between June and November 2021 in six countries in Latin America, with a total of 503 participants. Participants indicated that the pandemic motivated them to initiate or increase waste reduction (41%), waste separation (40%), and waste recovery (33%) activities. Forty-three percent of participants perceived an increase in total volume of their waste; however, the quantitative data showed a decrease in household waste generation in Peru (-31%), Honduras (-25%), and Venezuela (-82%). No changes in waste composition were observed. Despite the limited sample size, this data provides a much-needed approximation of household waste generation and composition in the pandemic situation during 2021.
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Affiliation(s)
- Norvin Requena-Sanchez
- Integrated Waste Management for Sustainable Development Group, Faculty of Environmental Engineering, National University of Engineering, 210 Túpac Amaru Ave, Rímac, Lima, Peru
| | - Dalia Carbonel
- Integrated Waste Management for Sustainable Development Group, Faculty of Environmental Engineering, National University of Engineering, 210 Túpac Amaru Ave, Rímac, Lima, Peru
| | - Stephan Moonsammy
- Department of Environmental Studies, Faculty of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Guyana, Turkeyen Campus, P. O. Box 10 1110, Georgetown, Guyana
| | - Larissa Demel
- United Nations Development Program, Casa de las Naciones Unidas, Edificio # 129, Ciudad del Saber, Panama City, Panama
| | - Erick Vallester
- Technological University of Panama, Avenida Universidad Tecnológica de Panamá, Vía Puente Centenario, Campus Metropolitano Víctor Levi Sasso, Panama City, Panama
| | - Diana Velásquez
- National Autonomous University of Honduras, Bulevar Suyapa, Tegucigalpa, Honduras
| | | | | | - Rosario Vásquez García
- Daniel Alcides Carrion National University, Av. Los Próceres 703, Yanacancha, Cerro de Pasco, Peru
| | - Melissa Santa Cruz
- Intercultural National University Fabiola Salazar Leguia From Bagua, Jirón Ancash N° 520 Bagua, Amazonas, Peru
| | - Elsy Visbal
- Litoral Headquarters, Simón Bolívar University, Camurí Grande, Edo. Vargas Parroquia Naiguatá, La Guaira, Venezuela
| | - Kelvin Tsun Wai Ng
- Environmental Systems Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Parkway, Regina, SK Canada
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Requena-Sanchez N, Carbonel-Ramos D, Moonsammy S, Klaus R, Punil LS, Ng KTW. Virtual Methodology for Household Waste Characterization During The Pandemic in An Urban District of Peru: Citizen Science for Waste Management. Environ Manage 2022; 69:1078-1090. [PMID: 35192024 PMCID: PMC8862408 DOI: 10.1007/s00267-022-01610-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2021] [Accepted: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
The Covid-19 pandemic has caused the alteration of many aspects of the solid waste management chain, such as variations in the waste composition, generation and disposal. Various studies have examined these changes with analysis of integrated waste management strategies; qualitative studies on perceived variations and statistical evaluations based on waste collected or disposed in landfills. Despite this information there is a need for updated data on waste generation and composition, especially in developing countries. The objective of this article is to develop a data sampling and analytical approach for the collection of data on household waste generation and composition during the pandemic; and, in addition, estimate the daily generation of masks in the study area. The proposed methodology is based on the principles of citizen science and utilizes virtual tools to contact participants, and for the training and collection of information. The study participants collected the information, installed segregation bins in their homes and trained their relatives in waste segregation. The article presents the results of the application of the methodology in an urban district of Lima (Peru) in August 2020. The results suggest an apparent decrease in household waste per capita and a slight increase in plastics composition in the study area. It is estimated that each participant generates 0.124 masks per day and 0.085 pairs of gloves per day. The method developed and results presented can be used as a tool for public awareness and training on household waste characterization and segregation. Furthermore it can provide the necessary evidence to inform policy directives in response household waste issues and Covid-19 restrictions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Norvin Requena-Sanchez
- Solid Waste Technical Team, Faculty of Environmental Engineering, National University of Engineering, Tupac Amaru Av 210, 15333, Rímac, Peru
| | - Dalia Carbonel-Ramos
- Solid Waste Technical Team, Faculty of Environmental Engineering, National University of Engineering, Tupac Amaru Av 210, 15333, Rímac, Peru.
| | - Stephan Moonsammy
- Department of Environmental Studies, Faculty of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Guyana, Georgetown, Guyana
| | - Robert Klaus
- Environmental Management Office, Municipality of Comas, 15328, Comas, Peru
| | | | - Kelvin Tsun Wai Ng
- Environmental Systems Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Regina, Regina, SK, S4S 0A2, Canada
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Kasim OF, Oyedotun TDT, Famewo A, Oyedotun TD, Moonsammy S, Ally N, Renn-Moonsammy DM. Household waste generation, change in waste composition and the exposure to COVID-19 in Guyana and Nigeria. Sci Afr 2021; 14:e01060. [PMID: 34816058 PMCID: PMC8603265 DOI: 10.1016/j.sciaf.2021.e01060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2021] [Revised: 08/29/2021] [Accepted: 11/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted humans’ activities across the globe. Measures related to social/physical distancing and lockdown have led to a shift and increase in waste generated at households’ level. This study examined waste generation, composition and the implications for exposure during COVID-19 pandemic lockdown in Guyana and Nigeria. The study adopted a mixed-method design to collect qualitative and quantitative data. Owing to adherence to social/physical distancing, an online Google Form survey was administered and phone interviews were conducted with waste managers in Nigeria and Guyana. Findings showed that the volumes of waste had increased and there was a mixture of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) with the municipal waste. Also, the majority of the respondents in both countries were concerned that solid waste has the potential to contribute to contamination and spreading of the pandemic. A paired sample T-test analysis indicated an increase in the use of PPE. The values of t = 19.46 and t = 23.73 at p ≥ 0.05 in Nigeria and Guyana, respectively were significant. Waste mostly contaminated, as submitted by the respondents, were cans, bottles, plastics and all biodegradable wastes while the most probable point of contamination as noted by the waste managers occurred at the point of waste collection. Therefore, sorting of waste at household levels and training of personnel involved in waste management should be done with an emphasis on adherence to COVID-19 protocol and enforcement of same to prevent the spread of the virus
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Affiliation(s)
- Oluwasinaayomi Faith Kasim
- Department of Urban and Regional Planning, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.,Department of Geography, Faculty of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Guyana, P. O. Box 10 1110, Turkeyen Campus, Georgetown, Guyana
| | - Temitope D Timothy Oyedotun
- Department of Geography, Faculty of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Guyana, P. O. Box 10 1110, Turkeyen Campus, Georgetown, Guyana
| | - Ayomide Famewo
- Department of Urban and Regional Planning, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
| | - Temitayo Deborah Oyedotun
- Faculty of Education and Humanities, University of Guyana, P. O. Box 10 1110, Turkeyen Campus, Georgetown, Guyana
| | - Stephan Moonsammy
- Department of Environmental Studies, Faculty of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Guyana, P. O. Box 10 1110, Turkeyen Campus, Georgetown, Guyana
| | - Nasrudeen Ally
- Department of Geography, Faculty of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Guyana, P. O. Box 10 1110, Turkeyen Campus, Georgetown, Guyana
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Moonsammy S, Oyedotun TDT, Renn-Moonsammy DM, Oyedotun TD, Ally N, Kasim OF, Famewo A. COVID-19 effects on municipality waste collection services for households: statistical modelling of perspectives from Guyana and Nigeria. J Mater Cycles Waste Manag 2021; 23:1678-1687. [PMID: 35194401 PMCID: PMC8034766 DOI: 10.1007/s10163-021-01225-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2020] [Accepted: 03/31/2021] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
The novel COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the functioning of solid waste management globally as households experience an increase in their waste and a change in waste collection services. This study presents a statistical model looking at the impacts of COVID-19 on household waste and waste collection services and the prevalence of self-disposing in response to these impacts. Qualitative household data were collected from Guyana and Nigeria looking at household perspectives on their waste management issues since the emergence of COVID-19. Statistical models were developed using limited-dependent binary logistic regression. The models showed for each country, different factors contributing to the likelihood of self-disposing. For Guyana, the change in waste collection schedule and the household proximity to landfills increases the likelihood of self-disposing while in Nigeria, the increase in household waste increases the likelihood of self-disposing. The results also showed that households who regularly engage in recycling activities are less likely to self-dispose. The study concludes that COVID-19 has disrupted household waste disposal and had contributed to increasing instances in self-dumping. COVID-19 seems to be fostering the informal waste sector which may require a shift in the current operation and policies for the solid waste management sector.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephan Moonsammy
- Department of Environmental Studies, Faculty of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Guyana, Turkeyen Campus, P. O. Box 10 1110, Georgetown, Guyana
| | - Temitope D. Timothy Oyedotun
- Department of Geography, Faculty of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Guyana, Turkeyen Campus, P. O. Box 10 1110, Georgetown, Guyana
| | | | - Temitayo Deborah Oyedotun
- Faculty of Education and Humanities, University of Guyana, Turkeyen Campus, P. O. Box 10 1110, Georgetown, Guyana
| | - Nasrudeen Ally
- Department of Geography, Faculty of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Guyana, Turkeyen Campus, P. O. Box 10 1110, Georgetown, Guyana
| | - Oluwasinaayomi Faith Kasim
- Department of Geography, Faculty of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Guyana, Turkeyen Campus, P. O. Box 10 1110, Georgetown, Guyana
| | - Ayomide Famewo
- Department of Urban and Regional Planning, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
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