Ching, J., & Kajino, M. (2020). Rethinking Air Quality and Climate Change after COVID-19. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(14), 5167. doi:10.3390/ijerph17145167

Air Quality and Climate Change Following the COVID-19 Pandemic

- COVID-19 is spread through air particles
- Particles carrying the virus can be expelled through exhalation, talking, sneezing and coughing
- The expelled particles travel in "ambient environments to different spatial extents" and have an atmospheric lifetime, which depends on: 1) the size of the particles, 2) air ventilation when indoors and the air movement outdoors, and 3) temperature and humidity

Airborne Transmission of COVID-19

- A few studies have indicated that cities with poorer air quality are prone to a higher death rate of COVID-19 than cleaner ones 
-  A few studies reported significantly improved air quality and visibility in many cities which is most likely due to the reduced emissions from things such as industrial productions, local transport, power generations and many other economic activities.
- There is also evidence of reduced NO2 emissions and PM2.5 and an increase in ozone concentrations, which is most likely due to the COVID-19 lockdowns in some major cities. 
- Some research suggests that COVID-19 RNA can also be found in feces and in the air after flushing for over 30 minutes

Air Quality and COVID-19

Decarbonization refers to the phasing out of carbon dioxide emission from the use of fossil fuels. The outbreak of COVID-19 led to a reduction in emission on a global scale. Such large reduction can provide some data and clues for the efficacy of global scale decarbonization. A 17% cut of daily global carbon dioxide emissions were reported in 2020 compared to 2019.

Decarbonization and COVID-19

- like COVID-19, a global problem such as climate change should utilize efforts from academic institutions, medical institutions, private corporates, governments and general public
- emergence of infectious disease can be enhanced by extreme weathers, therefore, close monitoring, effective international communication tool, and early warning systems of global pandemics should be developed
- shifting to a green economy to prevent future man-made disasters

Future Global Efforts for Climate Change Control

In order to reduce bankruptcies and address immediate human concerns, many rescue packages were put in effect during the pandemic. These packages may have a long term effect on climate change efforts, for example:
- some rescue packages cover emission-intensive firms such as airlines
- fossil fuel industries may request future tax breaks or bailouts due to loss

It is important that rescue packages are build on conditional terms to prevent long-term climate effects

Impact of Rescue Packages on Climate Change

- Since the COVID-19 outbreak, studies have shown that there has been an increase in visibility and overall air quality
- There is also evidence of a decrease in NO2 levels and an increase in ozone concentrations

Michigan State University

Researchers have found numerous instances of environmental changes following the COVID-19 outbreak. See: 
- Overview
- Air Pollution
- Hydrosphere (Water) Pollution
- Light Pollution
- Medical Waste Pollution
- Noise Pollution
- Solid Waste Pollution

Environmental Conditions Post-COVID-19 Outbreak

Climate monitoring is a way to measure and predict atmospheric composition, climate trends, and weather patterns. 

Climate Monitoring

Recycling of waste and using reusable items instead of disposable ones are common and effective ways of being environmentally cautious. Recycling is credited to decrease pollution, as well as conserve energy and natural resources. 

Environmental Impact of Recycling

Environmental noise is one of the main reasons for discomfort for the population and the environment which ends up causing health problems and altering the conditions of the ecosystems. With people having to stay home, the use of private and public transportation has decreased significantly. Commercial activities have also stopped almost entirely.  

Reduction of Enviornmental Noise Level

Beaches are one of the most important natural assets for coastal areas. Beaches provide services including recreation and tourism that are critical to the survival of coastal communities that need to be protected. However, irresponsible people cause many beaches to present pollution problems. Due to the lack of tourists because of COVID-19, a notable change in the appearance of many beaches has been seen and it has been very positive. The water is clearer and the sand is cleaner. 

Clean Beaches

The hydrosphere refers to all water on the earth's surface. Water quality improves with decreased pollution from human activity. Generally, good water: 
- Has no odor, is tasteless, and visibly clear 
- Has good conductivity, conductivity is not increased or decreased by any amount of pollutant 
- Has a dissolved oxygen content greater than 6 mg/L
- Has a relatively neutral pH
- Should have low levels, if any, of suspended particulate matter (SPM) 
- Has a low turbidity value, which measures the relative clarity of the water in units of FNU or NTU

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

The management of solid waste, which encompasses most types of discarded garbage, is a foremost environmental concern. Proper management of solid waste includes: 
- Collection of waste from urban areas once a week or more 
- Disposing only of waste that cannot otherwise be recycled
- Sufficient plans for gathering and storing waste 
- Relaying waste to facilities that will properly dispose of the waste in a landfill or burn the waste so it does not accumulate elsewhere 
- Handling of waste in such a way that public health is not jeopardized and no water or air pollution results   

Solid Waste Pollution (Post-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. Good air: 
- Has low NO2, CO, SO2 and BC (black carbon) levels. BC may also be represented by BCff (fossil fuels) or BCbb (biomass burning) 
- Has low THC (total hydrocarbons) and low NMHC (non-methane hydrocarbons)
- Has no formaldehyde 
- Has low PM10 and PM2.5 levels, which measure fine particulates in the air 
- Has moderate O3 (ozone) levels, which can be harmful at too high or too low of a concentration 
- Has low aerosol optical depth (AOD) levels (<1), which measure electromagnetic radiation in the air as caused by pollutants 
- Has a low AQI value (0-100) which indicates good to moderate air quality 
- Has a low BTEX value (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene), as these compounds are hazardous

Air Pollution (Post-COVID-19)

Noise pollution occurs when loud sounds accumulate to the point of being potentially harmful. Generally, noise levels are considered appropriate when: 
- nighttime noises are 5-10 dB lower than daytime noises 
- noises do not exceed 85 dB for long periods of time 
- noises generally remain below 60 dB
- residential areas have noise levels between 45-55 dB

Noise Pollution (Post-COVID-19)

Light pollution occurs when human activity results in an excessive amount of outdoors artificial light. Ideally: 
- Light pollution should be low enough that various star constellations are visible to the naked eye 
- Light pollution should register low on any number of meters available to calculate light pollution
- Light pollution should not be high enough to disrupt the local ecosystem or cause adverse effects on human health 

Light Pollution (Post-COVID-19)

The proper disposal of medical waste is essential to ensure hazardous materials do not pollute the environment and harm human health. Proper management of medical waste includes: 
- Disposing of medical waste properly instead of incinerating it; many medical facilities incinerate their waste, which releases pollutants into the air 
- Understanding what kinds of medical waste need to be disposed of in a special manner and what kinds can be recycled 
- Containing waste in biohazard bags as appropriate to prevent leaks 
- Storing waste in a designated area and ensuring waste is unable to leak or spread from there until it can be disposed of 
- Decontaminating waste as needed to ensure it can be properly handled later 

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