The environmental impacts of COVID-19

Stay-at-home orders have forced millions of Texans to leave their cars and workplaces unused. Because of this, some headlines in recent weeks have noted the positive environmental impacts the orders may have in polluted areas.

Plano’s Sustainability and Environmental Education Manager Heather Merchant said some of the projected positive impacts come in the form of increased air and water quality. 

But Merchant also mentioned an increase in waste.

“On the negative side, we are seeing a huge increase in the amount of trash being produced and sent to landfills,” she said. “Some of this includes increased use of single-use plastics and takeout food containers.”

Sanitation wipes and cleaning supplies have flown off shelves in the last month. While shoppers are stocking up, sewers and landfills are being overwhelmed.

“There has been a marked increase in litter coming from improper disposal and discarding of PPE (personal protective equipment) that people are wearing and using during the pandemic,” Merchant said. “A lot of this is ending up in our creeks and stormwater systems.” 

“We are seeing many more sewer clogs from the disposal wipes, that aren’t really disposable, that folks are using and flushing,” she added.

As for recycling, Merchant said due to safety precautions, some programs have changed or halted altogether. She also said some are “accepting only limited items for recycling.”

According to Environmental Waste Services Manager Ryan Delzell, the city saw a 5% waste increase, which is equivalent to 850 tons.

"We are set up to handle an increase on the residential side," Delzell said.

In the sustainability and environmental education department, Merchant wants to help residents learn about paths toward decreasing their footprint on the earth. 

“There’s lots of work for us in the future with helping people to choose and adopt behaviors that will continue to support improved air quality,” Merchant said. “We also need to educate on reducing single-use plastics, not littering, not flushing wipes, recycling correcting, reducing food waste and so on.”

One of the ways the department is educating Plano is through a weeklong celebration of Earth Day. 

According to Merchant, virtual webinars will show how to dispose of wipes, fats, grease and oils correctly. The department also plans on giving a tour of the recycling facility.

Merchant said she hopes Plano residents will walk away with more than a history lesson on Earth Day. She said she wants participants to learn how to better care for the environment and “live out their commitments to reducing their carbon footprint and being good stewards of our resources.”