Household waste generation in Buenos Aires, Argentina: impact of COVID-19 lockdowns

Veronica I. Pierini, Nadia M. Mazzeo, María Semmartin

Resumen


The COVID-19 pandemic lockdown reshaped household routines worldwide, influencing both the quantity and composition of municipal solid waste. In Argentina, lockdowns in 2020-2021 restricted mobility, with mandatory stay-at-home orders and suspension of most non-essential commercial and institutional activities. This study analyzed household waste generation in Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires (CABA), Argentina, across three distinct periods: before (March 2019 to March 2020), during (March 2020 to October 2021), and after lockdown (November 2021 to November 2022). A citizen science approach was employed, engaging non-specialist residents in data collection through researcher-designed protocols. A total of 828 households voluntarily participated by sorting and weighing their waste over a one-week period, classifying it into five categories: (i) organic (i.e. biodegradable), (ii) plastic, (iii) paper and cardboard, (iv) other recyclables, and (v) non-recyclable (i.e. residual waste). Data were submitted via an online platform. Results showed a significant increase in the generation of non-recyclables during lockdowns, followed by a rise in recyclable materials —paper and cardboard, and plastic— after lockdowns. Total and organic waste generation remained invariable throughout the study period. After lockdowns, waste generation averaged 447±298 g person-1 d-1. Waste composition exhibited modest variations throughout the study period comprising 42% organic, 33% recyclables and 25% non-recyclable waste after lockdowns. The pandemic altered certain household behaviors, which in turn affected waste generation patterns and composition in CABA. Citizen science once again demonstrated its effectiveness in capturing these temporal trends.


Palabras clave


citizen science; lockdown; pandemic; pets; waste composition

Texto completo:

PDF (English)

Referencias


Alzúa, M. L. & Gosis, P. (2020). UNDP LAC C19 PDS No. 6 Social and economic impact of COVID-19 and policy options in Argentina. Center for Distributional, Labor and Social Studies, Universidad Nacional de La Plata and Partnership for Economic Policy (PEP). UNDP Latin America and the Caribbean.

Babbitt, C. W., Babbitt, G. A., & Oehman, J. M. (2021). Behavioral impacts on residential food provisioning, use, and waste during the COVID-19 pandemic. Sustainable Production and Consumption, 28, 315-325. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.spc.2021.04.012

Ben Hassen, T., El Bilali, H., Allahyari, M. S., Karabašević, D., Radosavac, A., Berjan, S., Vaško, Z., Radanov, P. & Obhođaš, I. (2021). Food behavior changes during the COVID-19 pandemic: statistical analysis of consumer survey data from Bosnia and Herzegovina. Sustainability, 13(15), 8617. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13158617

Benson, N. U., Bassey, D. E., & Palanisami, T. (2021). COVID pollution: impact of COVID-19 pandemic on global plastic waste footprint. Heliyon, 7(2). DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e06343

Branchini, S., Meschini, M., Covi, C., Piccinetti, C., Zaccanti, F., & Goffredo, S. (2015). Participating in a citizen science monitoring program: implications for environmental education. PLoS ONE, 10, 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal. pone.0131812

Brizi, A., & Biraglia, A. (2021). “Do I have enough food?” How need for cognitive closure and gender impact stockpiling and food waste during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-national study in India and the United States of America. Personality and Individual Differences, 168, 110396. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2020.110396

Brossard, D., Lewenstein, B., & Bonney, R. (2005). Scientific knowledge and attitude change: the impact of a citizen science project. Int. J. Sci. Educ., 27, 1099-1121. https://doi. org/10.1080/09500690500069483

Burlea-Schiopoiu, A., Ogarca, R. F., Barbu, C. M., Craciun, L., Baloi, I. C., & Mihai, L. S. (2021). The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on food waste behaviour of young people. Journal of Cleaner Production, 294, 126333. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.126333

Calma, J. (2020). The COVID-19 pandemic is generating tons of medical waste: sanitation workers need personal protective equipment too. The Verge. https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/26/21194647/the-covid-19-pandemic-is-generating-tons-of-medical-waste

Chief of the Cabinet of Ministers. (2021). Administrative Decision No951/2021. Borders. Official Gazette of the Argentine Republic. https://www.argentina.gob.ar/normativa/nacional/decisión_administrativa-951-2021-354793

CNN Radio Argentina (3 de julio de 2021). Creció la adopción de perros y gatos durante la pandemia. https://cnnespanol.cnn.com/radio/2021/07/03/crecio-la-adopcion-de-perros-y-gatos-durante-la-pandemia

Conrad, C. C., & Hilchey, K. G. (2011). A review of citizen science and community-based environmental monitoring: issues and opportunities. Environ. Monit. Assess. 176, 273-291. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-010-1582-5.

Dente, S. M. R., & Hashimoto, S. (2020). COVID-19: A pandemic with positive and negative outcomes on resource and waste flows and stocks. Resources, conservation, and recycling, 161, 104979. doi: 10.1016/j.resconrec.2020.104979 (accessed 07 November 2024)

Fitz Patrick, M., & Crucianelli, S. (2021). Los días de aislamiento y distanciamiento obligatorio dispuestos por Alberto Fernández entre 2020 y 2021 sumaron 336. Infobae. https://www.infobae.com/politica/2024/09/04/los-dias-de-aislamiento-y-distanciamiento-obligatorio-dispuestos-por-alberto-fernandez-entre-2020-y-2021-sumaron-336/

Hantoko, D., Li, X., Pariatamby, A., Yoshikawa, K., Horttanainen, M., & Yan, M. (2021). Challenges and practices on waste management and disposal during COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of environmental management, 286, 112140. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2021.112140

Heikal Ismail, M., Ghazi, T. I. M., Hamzah, M. H., Manaf, L. A., Tahir, R. M., Mohd Nasir, A., & Ehsan Omar, A. (2020). Impact of movement control order (MCO) due to coronavirus disease (COVID-19) on food waste generation: A case study in klang valley, malaysia. Sustainability, 12(21), 8848. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12218848

Ho, J., Hussain, S., & Sparagano, O. (2021). Did the COVID-19 Pandemic Spark a Public Interest in Pet Adoption? Frontiers in Veterinary Science. Volume 8. https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/veterinary-science/articles/10.3389/fvets.2021.647308 DOI=10.3389/fvets.2021.647308 ISSN=2297-1769

Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos-INDEC. (2020). Estudio sobre el impacto de la COVID-19 en los hogares del Gran Buenos Aires. Primer informe de resultados (agosto-octubre 2020). 1a ed. Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires. https://www.indec.gob.ar/ftp/cuadros/sociedad/EICOVID_primer_informe.pdf

Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos-INDEC. (2021). Estudio sobre el impacto de la COVID-19 en los hogares del Gran Buenos Aires: segundo informe de resultados (agosto-octubre 2020). 1a ed. Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires. https://www.indec.gob.ar/ftp/cuadros/sociedad/EICOVID_segundo_informe.pdf

Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos-INDEC. (2022). Censo Nacional de Población, Hogares y Viviendas 2022. Datos para la Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires. https://censo.gob.ar/index.php/datos_definitivos_caba/

Jribi, S., Ben Ismail, H., Doggui, D., & Debbabi, H. (2020). COVID-19 virus outbreak lockdown: What impacts on household food wastage?. Environment, Development and Sustainability, 22(5), 3939-3955. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-020-00740-y

Kitz R, Walker T, Charlebois S & Music J. (2022). Food packaging during the COVID-19 pandemic: Consumer perceptions. Int J Consum Stud.; 46:434–448. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijcs.12691

Leal Filho, W., Salvia, A. L., Minhas, A., Paço, A., & Dias-Ferreira, C. (2021). The COVID-19 pandemic and single-use plastic waste in households: A preliminary study. Science of the Total Environment, 793, 148571. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.148571

Legal and Technical Secretariat of the Presidency of the Argentine Nation. (2020). Decree No 260/2020. Establishment of the extension of the world health emergency, SARS-COV2, in Argentina. Official Gazette of the Argentine Republic. Retrieved from http://servicios.infoleg.gob.ar/infolegInternet/anexos/335000-339999/335423/norma.htm

Legal and Technical Secretariat of the Presidency of the Argentine Nation. (2020). Decree No 297/2020. Establishment of the Preventive and Mandatory Social Isolation. Official Gazette of the Argentine Republic. Retrieved from http://servicios.infoleg.gob.ar/infolegInternet/anexos/335000-339999/335741/norma.htm

Legal and Technical Secretariat of the Presidency of the Argentine Nation. (2021). Decree No 678/2021. Health measures and borders. Official Gazette of the Argentine Republic. Retrieved from https://www.argentina.gob.ar/normativa/nacional/decreto-678-2021-354792

Naughton, C.C. (2020). Will the COVID-19 pandemic change waste generation and composition?: The need for more real-time waste management data and systems thinking. Resources, Conservation & Recycling 162.

Ogle, D. H., Doll, J. C., Wheeler, A. P., & Dinno, A. (2025). FSA: Simple Fisheries Stock Assessment Methods. R package version 0.10.0. https://CRAN.R-project.org/package=FSA

Ouhsine, O., Ouigmane, A., Layati, E., Aba, B., Isaifan, R. J., & Berkani, M. (2020). Impact of COVID-19 on the qualitative and quantitative aspect of household solid waste. Global Journal of Environmental Science and Management, 6(Special issue), 41-52. doi: 10.22034/GJESM.2019.06.SI.05

Pacheco, A. (27 de abril de 2022). Hogares “multiespecies”: la pandemia potenció la adopción de mascotas y cuál es la más buscada. Diario Clarín. https://www.clarin.com/sociedad/hogares-multiespecies-pandemia-potencio-adopcion-mascotas-buscada_0_DbJHhS2IsI.html

Pierini, V. I., Mazzeo, N., Cazenave, M., & Semmartin, M. (2021). Waste generation and pro-environmental behaviors at household level: A citizen science study in Buenos Aires (Argentina). Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 170, 105560. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2021.105560

Presidency of the Nation. (2020). Decree No 260/2020: Establishment of the extension of the world health emergency, SARS-CoV-2, in Argentina. Infoleg. http://servicios.infoleg.gob.ar/infolegInternet/anexos/335000-339999/335423/norma.htm

Presidency of the Nation. (2020). Decree No 297/2020: Establishment of the Preventive and Mandatory Social Isolation. Infoleg. http://servicios.infoleg.gob.ar/infolegInternet/anexos/335000-339999/335741/norma.htm

Presidency of the Nation. (2021). Decree No 678/2021, article 11: Entry of non-resident foreigners into the national territory. Infoleg. http://servicios.infoleg.gob.ar/infolegInternet/anexos/350000-354999/354785/norma.htm

Qian, K., Javadi, F., & Hiramatsu, M. (2020). Influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on household food waste behavior in Japan. Sustainability, 12(23), 9942. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12239942

Ranjbari, M., Esfandabadi, Z. S., Gautam, S., Ferraris, A., & Scagnelli, S. D. (2023). Waste management beyond the COVID-19 pandemic: Bibliometric and text mining analyses. Gondwana Research, 114, 124-137.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gr.2021.12.015

Rhee, S. W. (2020). Management of used personal protective equipment and wastes related to COVID-19 in South Korea. Waste Management & Research, 38(8), 820-824. https://doi.org/10.1177/0734242X20933343

Rodgers, R. F., Lombardo, C., Cerolini, S., Franko, D. L., Omori, M., Linardon, J., Guillaume, S., Fischer, L. & Fuller-Tyszkiewicz, M. (2021). “Waste not and stay at home” evidence of decreased food waste during the COVID-19 pandemic from the US and Italy. Appetite, 160, 105110. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2021.105110

Sarda, B., Delamaire, C., Serry, A. J., & Ducrot, P. (2022). Changes in home cooking and culinary practices among the French population during the COVID-19 lockdown. Appetite, 168, 105743.

Sarkodie, S. A., & Owusu, P. A. (2021). Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on waste management. Environment, development and sustainability, 23(5), 7951-7960. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-020-00956-y

Sharma, H. B., Vanapalli, K. R., Cheela, V. S., Ranjan, V. P., Jaglan, A. K., Dubey, B., Goel, S. & Bhattacharya, J. (2020). Challenges, opportunities, and innovations for effective solid waste management during and post COVID-19 pandemic. Resources, conservation and recycling, 162, 105052. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2020.105052

Shukla, P., & Choudhary, S. (2022). A critical review of the impact of COVID-19 on plastic and food waste. Nature Environment & Pollution Technology, 21. https://doi.org/10.46488/NEPT.2022.v21i05.023

Unidiversidad (2 de junio de 2021). La adopción de perros durante la pandemia aumentó el 200%. https://www.unidiversidad.com.ar/la-adopcion-de-perros-durante-la-pandemia-aumento-un-200-

Van Fan Y., Jiang P., Hemzal M., & Klemes J.J. (2021). An update of COVID-19 influence on waste management. Science of the Total Environment 754. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.142014

Vittuari, M., Masotti, M., Iori, E., Falasconi, L., Toschi, T. G., & Segrè, A. (2021). Does the COVID-19 external shock matter on household food waste? The impact of social distancing measures during the lockdown. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 174, 105815. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2021.105815

Zambrano-Monserrate, M. A., Ruano, M. A., & Sanchez-Alcalde, L. (2020). Indirect effects of COVID-19 on the environment. Science of the total environment, 728, 138813. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.138813

Zuur, A. F., Ieno, E. N., Walker, N. J., Saveliev, A. A., & Smith, G. M. (2009). Mixed effects models and extensions in ecology with R. Springer.


Enlaces refback

  • No hay ningún enlace refback.


Licencia de Creative Commons
Esta obra está licenciada bajo una Licencia Creative Commons Atribución-NoComercial 2.5 Argentina .

Agronomía&Ambiente. Revista de la Facultad de Agronomía (UBA)

ISSN 2344-9039 (en línea) - ISSN 2314-2243 (impreso)

Av. San Martín 4453 - C1417DSE - Buenos Aires - Argentina - Tel. +54-11-5287-0221 - efa@agro.uba.ar