In addition, the recycling systems collapsed in many places due to the avalanche of wastes of this kind, according to a recent report by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) and the Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) Blue.

If measures are not taken, the report emphasizes, more than 70 percent of that plastic will end up in oceans and landfills, and up to 12 percent will be burned, causing pollution and disease in the most vulnerable regions of the planet.

Faced with such a situation, the report focuses on the so-called environmental justice with respect to pollution, a scourge exacerbated due to the health crisis.

To date, there are not many studies on the impacts of the pandemic in plastics consumption, but the limited research points to an increase in their consumption and elimination, especially those used in medical supplies, the official UN news website indicates.

The joint report by UNEP and NGO Blue points out that the pandemic has been seen as an opportunity to boost the consumption of single-use plastics in countries such as the United States.

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