Mouthing Off | Coronavirus and single-use plastic: how do we balance our need to stay safe with environmental consciousness?

With our use of plastic takeaway boxes and single-use cutlery exploding, it seems we no longer worry about landfills filling up as we hide from the coronavirus

But we still need to do what we can, such as cook more, reuse plastic containers and avoid unnecessary wastage – such as by using bags for bananas

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Workers prepare food orders outside a restaurant only offering takeaway business in Beijing. Photo: AP

Published: 4:30pm, 15 Apr 2020Updated: 6:44pm, 16 Apr 2020

Until about two months ago, global warming was the existential danger of our time. But, just like that, nobody is caring about landfills and carbon footprint. All of a sudden, we are less concerned about pollution threatening mankind and more worried about getting our hands on disposable masks, protective plastic covers – and, of course, toilet paper.

In the scramble to prevent an infectious virus invading our upper respiratory system, we no longer worry about garbage piling up. A conscientious friend and I had a discussion about this.

“I can’t help but think about all the used masks going to garbage dumps and landfills,” she noted. “How many millions of them are being thrown away every day now?”

Not enough for us to stop using them. What can I say? Priorities! It’s the price of trying to keep a significant segment of the population safe during a pandemic. Sure, there are reusable masks but other items are not.

People seem to need a lot of toilet paper. Maybe it’s all the takeaway food. Photo: AFP

In supermarkets, shoppers continue to take lots of lots of fruit and vegetable plastic bags but not for their intended purpose – some germaphobic shoppers use them as makeshift gloves during grocery shopping.

I cringe at such unnecessary behaviour, but can I blame people for being super cautious about hygiene? In ordinary times – like two months ago – I would’ve considered this anal, obsessive action as wasteful usage of plastic. But now, I can’t fault someone for over caution. However, it still gives me the giggles to see someone put bananas in a bag. Gosh, if only fruits could come in a protective cover that could be peeled away.