RISE IN MICROPLASTIC POLLUTION DUE TO COVID-19 PANDEMIC: A REVIEW

Abstract

Since the emergence of COVID-19 detected in 2019, Ministry of Health Malaysia announced to wear mask mandatorily as a preventative measure. The single-use of plastic aggravate the scourge of plastic in ecosystem. The face mask as macroplastic eventually will degraded to become microplastic. Existence of microplastic ecosystem poses a risk to food security due to its harmful effect to the environment and aquatic life through ingestion. This review attempt to study the number of plastic pollutions in water body in Malaysia before pandemic with current situation, to highlight the possible effect microplastic pollution from face mask and to propose the effective waste management system for face mask in Malaysia through current literature.  It is noted that, face mask usage ended up as microplastic end up in the marine environment from now until years later and giving the same ingestion effect and risk as current studies. As  a result, a prediction of microplastic effect from face mask should be focus finding the best  way to educate the public, face mask producer and policy maker thus implement the  environmentally decisions especially in Malaysia.