Environmental impacts of Covid-19 lockdown

Authors

  • Mariana Guenther Universidade de Pernambuco https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3104-3105
  • Letícia Kelly de Souza Sales Universidade de Pernambuco
  • Gabriel Felipe de Souza Acioli Universidade de Pernambuco

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.34024/revbea.2022.v17.13314

Keywords:

COVID-19, Anthropogenic impacts, Environmental Education, Science Communication, Audiovisuals

Abstract

The COVID-19 lockdown, crucial for containing the transmission of the virus, caused intense changes in our lives all over the world, affecting the economy, children and youngsters’ education, as well as everyone’s physical and mental health. This study aimed to analyze the lockdown effects on the environment through a narrative literature review, and then to produce an audiovisual material based on these results, to promote environmental education through science communication, raising, through this pandemic experience, awareness on our environmental impacts and on possible solutions to minimize them.

Author Biographies

  • Mariana Guenther, Universidade de Pernambuco

    Doutora em Ciências – Oceanografia Biológica pela Universidade de São Paulo. Professora Adjunta do Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade de Pernambuco. Docente Permanente do Programa de Pós Graduação em Gestão do Desenvolvimento Local Sustentável - UPE. Coordenadora do Núcleo de Pesquisas em Educação Ambiental e Científica. Lider do Grupo de Pesquisa Ecologia, Comunicação e Educação Científica.

  • Letícia Kelly de Souza Sales , Universidade de Pernambuco

    Graduanda em Ciências Biológicas pela Universidade de Pernambuco

  • Gabriel Felipe de Souza Acioli, Universidade de Pernambuco

    Graduando em Ciências Biológicas pela Universidade de Pernambuco

References

ANVISA. Resolução RDC/ANVISA nº 316 de 29 de outubro de 2002. Dispõe sobre procedimentos e critérios para o funcionamento de sistemas de tratamento térmico de resíduos. Brasília, DF, 2002.

BALDASANO, J. M. COVID-19 lockdown effects on air quality by NO2 in the cities of Barcelona and Madrid (Spain). Science of the Total Environment, v. 741,140353, 2020.

BENSON, N.U.; BASSEY, D.E.; PALANISAMI, T. COVID pollution: impact of COVID-19 pandemic on global plastic waste footprint. Heliyon, v. 7, n. 2, e06343, 2021.

BRAGA, F. et al. COVID-19 lockdown measures reveal human impact on water transparency in the Venice Lagoon. Science of The Total Environment, v 736, 139612, 2020.

BRASIL. Lei n. 12.305, de 2 de agosto de 2010. Institui a Política Nacional de Resíduos Sólidos; altera a Lei no 9.605, de 12 de fevereiro de 1998; e dá outras providências. Brasília, DF, 2010.

BRUMM, H. Animal Communication and Noise. Berlin Heidelberg: Springer-Verlag, 2013. 453p.

CALLEJAS, I.A. et al. Effect of COVID-19 Anthropause on water clarity in the Belize coastal lagoon. Frontiers in Marine Science, v. 8, 648522, 2021. DOI: 10.3389/fmars.2021.648522

DALY, N. For animals, plastic is turning the ocean into a minefield. National Geographic, 01 jun 2018. Disponível em: <https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/article/plastic-planet-animals-wildlife-impact-waste-pollution>. Acesso 11 de maio de 2022.

DANTAS, G. et al. The impact of COVID-19 partial lockdown on the air quality of the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Science of the Total Environment, v.729, 139085, 2020.

DUQUETTE, C.A.; LOSS, S.R.; HOVICK, T.J. A meta-analysis of the influence of anthropogenic noise on terrestrial wildlife communication strategies. Journal of Applied Ecology. v. 58, n. 6, p. 1112-1121. 2021.

DUTTA, J.; SINGH, P.P. Air pollutants and acid precipitation: impact on ecology and human health. In: DUTTA, J.; GOSWAMI, S.; MITRA, A. (Eds.). Multidimensional approaches to impacts of changing environment on human health. New York: CRC Press, 2021.

ELMER T.; MEPHAM K.; STADTFELD C. Students under lockdown: comparisons of students’ social networks and mental health before and during the COVID-19 crisis in Switzerland. PLoS ONE, v. 15, n. 7, e0236337, 2020.

FAROOQI, Z.U.R. et al. Assessment of noise pollution and its effects on human health in industrial hub of Pakistan. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, v. 27, p. 2819–2828, 2020.

FRANCIS, C.D.; ORTEGA, C.P.; CRUZ, A. Noise pollution filters bird communities based on vocal frequency. PLoS ONE, v. 6, n. 11, e27052, 2011.

FREITAS, J.L.A.; VALLE, M.P.; PIN, V.V.S. Êxitos e desfechos no Ensino, Pesquisa e Extensão do curso de Pedagogia da FACELI durante a pandemia da Covid-19. Devir Educação, p 161-182, 2021. DOI: 10.30905/rde.v0i0.404

GEYER, R.; JAMBECK, J.R.; LAW, K.L. Production, use, and fate of all plastics ever made. Science Advances, v. 3, n. 7, e1700782, 2017.

GRAULICH, T. et al. Impact of COVID-19 on single-use plastics and the environment in Europe. Mol: European Topic Centre on Waste and Materials in a Green Economy (ETC/WMGE), 2021. 67p.

GUENTHER, M., FERREIRA, M. L. dos S.; SANTANA, A. D. da S. Brincando com os resíduos: reutilização e reciclagem na Educação Infantil. Revista Brasileira de Educação Ambiental, v. 14, n. 1, p. 101–110. 2019.

GUENTHER, M. Como será o amanhã? O mundo pós pandemia. Revista Brasileira de Educação Ambiental, v. 15, n. 4, p. 31-44, 2020.

GUENTHER, M., et al. Implementação de composteiras e hortas orgânicas em escolas: sustentabilidade e alimentação saudável. Revista Brasileira de Educação Ambiental, v. 15, n. 7, p 391–409. 2020.

HIGHAM, V. et al. Traffic noise drives an immediate increase in call pitch in an urban frog. Journal of Zoology, v. 313, n. 4, p. 307-315, 2021.

JAMBECK, J.R. et al. Plastic waste inputs from land into the ocean. Science. v. 347, n. 6223, p. 768-771, 2015.

JAYARAM, C. et al. Anomalous reduction of the total suspended matter during the covid-19 lockdown in the Hooghly estuarine system. Frontiers in Marine Science, v. 8, 633493, 2021.

KUMAR, N.; TYAGI, R. Various impacts of COVID-19 on environmental pollution. International Journal of Human Capital in Urban Management, v. 6, n. 1, p. 1-10, 2020.

KUMARI, P.; TOSHNIWAL, D. Impact of lockdown measures during COVID-19 on air quality: a case study of India. International Journal of Environmental Health Research, 2020.

LECOCQ, T. et al. Global quieting of high-frequency seismic noise due to COVID-19 pandemic lockdown measures. Science, v. 369, n. 6509, p. 1338-1343, 2020.

LI, W.C.; TSE, H.F.; FOK, L. Plastic waste in the marine environment: a review of sources, occurrence and effects. Science of The Total Environment, v. 566–567, p. 333-349, 2016.

LIU, F. et al. Abrupt decline in tropospheric nitrogen dioxide over China after the outbreak of COVID-19. Science Advances, v. 6, n. 28, 2020.

LOTLIKER, A.A. et al. Did the coronavirus disease 2019 lockdown phase influence coastal water quality parameters off major indian cities and river basins? Frontiers in Marine Science, v. 8, 648166, 2021.

MENUT, L. et al. Impact of lockdown measures to combat Covid-19 on air quality over western Europe. Science of the Total Environment, v. 741, 140426, p. 1-9, 2020.

NAKADA, L.Y.K.; URBAN, R.C. COVID-19 pandemic: impacts on the air quality during the partial lockdown in São Paulo state, Brazil. Science of the Total Environment, v. 730, 139087, 2020.

NEWBURGER, E.; JEFFERY, A. As coronavirus restrictions empty streets around the world, wildlife roam further into cities. CNBC Environment, Londres, 10 abr. 2020. Disponível em: <https://www.cnbc.com/2020/04/10/coronavirus-empty-streets-around-the-world-are-attracting-wildlife.html>. Acesso em 11 de maio de 2022.

OLIVEIRA, M.J.S. et al. Dilemas e desafios do ensino da graduação em enfermagem durante a pandemia da COVID-19. Epitaya E-Books, v. 1, n. 9, p. 142-152, 2021.

ORMAZA-GONZÁLEZ, F.I.; CASTRO-RODAS, D.; STATHAM, P.J. COVID-19 impacts on beaches and coastal water pollution at selected sites in Ecuador, and management proposals post-pandemic. Frontiers in Marine Science, v. 8, 669374, 2021.

PANHWAR, M.A. et al. Impact of noise pollution on human health at industrial site area Hyderabad. Indian Journal of Science and Technology, v. 11, n. 31, 2018.

PARKER, L. How to stop discarded face masks from polluting the planet. National Geographic. 14 abr 2021. Disponível em: <https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/how-to-stop-discarded-face-masks-from-polluting-the-planet>. Acesso em 11 de maio de 2022.

PEEL, J.L. et al. Impact of nitrogen and climate change interactions on ambient air pollution and human health. Biogeochemistry, v. 114, p. 121–134, 2013. DOI: 10.1007/s10533-012-9782-4

PIATTI, T.M.; RODRIGUES, R.A.F. Plásticos: características, usos, produção e impactos ambientais. Série Conversando sobre ciências em Alagoas. Maceio: EDUFAL, 2005. 51p.

PIEH, C. et al. Mental health during COVID-19 lockdown in the United Kingdom. Psychosomatic Medicine, v. 83, n. 4, p. 328-337, 2021.

PINE, M.K. et al. A Gulf in lockdown: how an enforced ban on recreational vessels increased dolphin and fish communication ranges. Global Change Biology, v. 27, n. 19, p. 4839-4848, 2021.

PRAKASH, K.V. et al. Assessment of water quality along the southeast coast of India during COVID-19 lockdown. Frontiers in Marine Science, v. 8, 659686, 2021.

RITCHIE, H. et al. Coronavirus Pandemic (COVID-19). In: OurWorldInData.org. 2020. Disponivel em: <https://ourworldindata.org/coronavirus>. Acesso em 11 de maio de 2022.

ROBERTS, K. et al. Coronavirus face masks: an environmental disaster that might last generations. The Conversation. 14 ago. 2020. Disponível em: <https://theconversation.com/coronavirus-face-masks-an-environmental-disaster-that-might-last-generations-144328>. Acesso em 11 de maio de 2022.

RUPANI, P.F. et al. Coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) and its natural environmental impacts. International Journal of Environmental Science and Technology, v. 17, p. 4655–4666, 2020.

SHWETHA T.S.; DHARIWALA H. Influence of reduced noise levels on human health during quarantine lockdown. In: Chakraborty C. (ed) Green technological innovation for sustainable smart societies. Cham: Springer, 2021.

SU, F. et al. Rapid greening response of China’s 2020 spring vegetation to COVID-19 restrictions: Implications for climate change. Science Advances, v. 7, n. 35, 2021.

THOMSON, D.J.M.; BARCLAY, D.R. Real-time observations of the impact of COVID-19 on underwater noise. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, v. 147, 3390, 2020.

URBAN, C.R.; NAKADA, L.Y.K. Covid-19 pandemic: solid waste and environmental impacts in Brazil. Science of the Total Environment, v. 755, Part 1, 1424712020. 2021.

VUONG, Q. T. et al. Effects of the COVID-19 lockdown on criteria air pollutants in the city of Daegu, the epicenter of South Korea’s outbreak. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, v. 27, p. 45983–45991, 2020.

WHO - World Health Organization. Nitrogen dioxide. In: WHO Regional Publications, European Series, No. 91 - Air quality guidelines for Europe. Copenhagen, Denmark: WHO Regional Office for Europe, 2000a.

WHO - World Health Organization. Sulfur dioxide. In: WHO Regional Publications, European Series, No. 91 - Air quality guidelines for Europe. Copenhagen, Denmark: WHO Regional Office for Europe, 2000b.

WHO - World Health Organization. WHO timeline – COVID-19. Genebra: Organização Mundial da Saúde, 2020a. Disponível em https://www.who.int/news-room/detail/27-04-2020-who-timeline---covid-19.

WHO - World Health Organization. Coronavirus disease (COVID-2019) situation reports. Genebra: Organização Mundial da Saúde, 2020b. Disponível em <https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/situation-reports/>. Acesso em 11 de maio de 2022.

WHO - World Health Organization. WHO Director-General's opening remarks at the media briefing on COVID-19 - 11 March 2020. Genebra: Organização Mundial da Saúde, 2020c. Disponível em: https://www.who.int/director-general/speeches/detail/who-director-general-s-opening-remarks-at-the-media-briefing-on-covid-19---11-march-2020>. Acesso em 11 de maio de 2022.

WINANDY, G.S.M. et al. Urban noise restricts song frequency bandwidth and syllable diversity in bananaquits: increasing audibility at the expense of signal quality. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, v. 9, 570420, 2021.

Downloads

Published

2022-06-01

Issue

Vol. 17 No. 3 (2022)

Section

Artigos

License

Copyright (c) 2022 Brazilian Journal of Environmental Education

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

How to Cite

GUENTHER, Mariana; KELLY DE SOUZA SALES , Letícia; FELIPE DE SOUZA ACIOLI, Gabriel. Environmental impacts of Covid-19 lockdown. Brazilian Journal of Environmental Education, [S. l.], v. 17, n. 3, p. 498–511, 2022. DOI: 10.34024/revbea.2022.v17.13314. Disponível em: https://periodicos.unifesp.br/index.php/revbea/article/view/13314. Acesso em: 5 dec. 2025.
Received 2022-01-06
Accepted 2022-05-03
Published 2022-06-01