Researchers selected Wuhan, China to study how medical waste was handled before and during the pandemic. 
- Prior to the pandemic, Wuhan generated ~41 tons of medical waste per day and had the capacity to dispose of 50 tons of medical waste per day 
- Waste was incinerated at a plant that lacked storage for excess medical waste 

Medical Waste Pollution: Wuhan (China) (Pre-COVID-19)

Researchers selected Tehran, Iran to study how medical waste pollution changed during the pandemic. Prior to the pandemic, 
- Tehran lacked programs to effectively sort and dispose of medical waste 
- ~37.9% of the waste produced by 165 hospitals in Tehran was infectious. WHO guidelines dictate less than 15% of hospital wastes should be infectious 

Medical Waste Pollution: Tehran (Iran) (Pre-COVID-19) 

Medical waste is a special type of biohazardous waste and is thus far more dangerous than other types of waste. Each type of medical waste has the potential to pollute the environment and pose a risk to human health. 
- Infectious medical waste may contain pathogens 
- Hazardous medical waste does not spread disease but may cause injury in other ways; for example, used needles
- Radioactive medical waste may be generated from cancer treatments and posses the risk of spreading radioactive materials 
- Chemical medical waste may involve chemicals used in preparing treatments or disinfectants

Kenyon College

Understanding how human activity impacted the environment prior to the COVID-19 outbreak allows for comparison to environmental conditions after the outbreak. See:
- Air Pollution
- Hydrosphere (Water) Pollution
- Light Pollution
- Medical Waste Pollution
- Noise Pollution
- Solid Waste Pollution

Environmental Conditions Pre-COVID-19 Outbreak

The hydrosphere refers to all water on the earth's surface. Human activity has severely polluted the hydrosphere over the span of many decades. Polluted water impacts human health in many ways. 
- About one billion people per year will become sick from polluted water (which includes wastes such as metals)
- Pathogens in polluted water spread illnesses such as Legionnaire's disease and cholera 
- Chemical pollutants such as lead or arsenic may cause health problems, including cancer 
- Polluted water may also cause skin rashes, eye infections, and respiratory infections 

Hydrosphere (Water) Pollution (Pre-COVID-19)

Solid waste refers to any type of discarded garbage, excluding wastes such as sewage, irrigation flow, certain hazardous materials, etc. Solid waste pollution is common in urban areas and is dangerous to human health. 
- Solid waste pollution may cause diseases such as dysentery, cholera, jaundice, salmonellosis, etc. 
- The storing of solid waste in landfills and burning of solid waste leads to secondary pollutant problems, including the release of toxins into the air and water (greatly impacts nearby neighborhoods)
- Improper solid waste management has been linked to the development of cancer, respiratory diseases, and even nervous system damage

Solid Waste Pollution (Pre-COVID-19)

Humans contribute to air pollution by releasing harmful substances into the earth's atmosphere. Over many decades, harmful substances have accumulated to produce areas with severely polluted air. Polluted air impacts human health in many ways. 
- High NO2 levels irritate the respiratory system 
- High BC (black carbon) levels are associated with respiratory and cardiovascular disease. BC may also be represented by BCff (fossil fuels) or BCbb (biomass burning) 
- PM10 and PM2.5 both measure fine particulates in the air, which irritate the respiratory system
- O3 (ozone) in exceedingly high concentrations causes airway inflammation and may reduce lung function 
- High outdoor CO levels may reduce oxygen transport to the heart 
- High THC (total hydrocarbons) and high NMHC (non-methane hydrocarbons) levels are toxic and may cause cancer 
- Low formaldehyde levels are enough to irritate the respiratory tract. Prolonged exposure may cause cancer 
- High AOD levels (>1) indicate heavy pollutants in the air 
- High AQI values (100-500) indicate poor air quality conditions (ranging from unhealthy for sensitive groups to hazardous)  
- BTEX values (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene) indicate levels of hazardous and often carcinogenic compounds dangerous to human health 

Air Pollution (Pre-COVID-19)

Noise pollution stems from the accumulation of disruptive sounds and can cause adverse health affects to people and other organisms. Noise pollution can be dangerous in many ways. 
- High noise levels increase the risk of cardiovascular illnesses, hypertension, hearing loss, tinnitus (associated with hearing loss), and sleep disorders 
- Noise pollution disproportionately impacts individuals with autism, who may be sensitive to sound
- Excessive exposure to noise may cause emotional and psychological problems 

Noise Pollution (Pre-COVID-19)

Light pollution occurs when human activity results in an excessive amount of outdoor artificial light. This type of pollution can be damaging to the environment and human health just the same as other pollutants. 
- Unnecessary outdoor lighting contributes to high energy waste
- Light pollution disrupts nocturnal animals, prevents animals from navigating using the sun, disrupts the migratory habits of birds, and may contribute to the death of insects attracted to the light
- Light pollution may also disrupt an individual's circadian rhythm and cause damage to the eyes 

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