2026/01/01 by Isabel Marín-Beltrán, María Clara Costa · 1 voice
Environmental Science · Medicine · #Healthcare and Environmental Waste Management #Microplastics and Plastic Pollution #Municipal Solid Waste Management
paper · doi:10.1525/cse.2026.2697804
openalex publication_date 2026/01/01 · openalex created_date 2026/04/29 · openalex updated_date 2026/06/11
Plastic pollution is a global environmental and social problem that worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic. Multiple stakeholders are involved in the way plastics are produced, used, and discarded; the general public playing a key role. In this study, we investigated the perception of plastic pollution on citizens from the Iberian Peninsula (Portugal and Spain) by means of an online survey, and how this perception and behaviors toward plastic may have changed during the COVID-19 pandemic. The influence of sociodemographic factors on the public’s views was considered. Results from 539 participants showed that, overall, citizens are concerned on plastic pollution and support legal actions implemented to reduce plastic pollution, regardless the background of the participants. Some of them even claimed for further regulation to tackle this global problem. The study also shows that public’s concern on plastic pollution did not change during the pandemic. Still, 11% of the respondents admitted that they felt safer using more single-use plastics during that period. More particularly, 38% of them reported to use disposable face masks that changed daily or more often if necessary. We discuss on the advantages of substituting disposable with reusable face masks—in the context of COVID-19 and possible future epidemics—and reduce the consumption of other unnecessary plastic products to cut the “plastic waste pandemic.” Understanding citizen’s perceptions on plastic pollution and their attitudes toward their use and disposal will help to implement effective educational programs, targeting specific sectors of the population.