Design of strategic framework for green sustainable practices in e-commerce companies

During the COVID-19 phase, e-commerce companies have risen rapidly, and customer demand increased suddenly. Brick-and-mortar ways of shopping have entirely shut down for approximately 4 months, and the whole country is dependent on online marketing platforms. There is a sudden rise in packaging because customers are more centric on online marketing;due to this, there is a massive increase in plastic consumption. This research paper aims to conduct a quantitative analysis of Indian consumer and industry experts regarding packaging products of e-commerce companies and then develop a framework for e-commerce companies regarding green sustainable practices. 145 responses were collected from Indian consumers, and 35 responses were taken from industry experts. This paper aims to visualize Indian customers' thinking regarding plastic bag packaging that they received from the e-commerce platforms and provide some valuable suggestions to the e-commerce companies. After analyzing the customer responses, a strategic framework is designed for green sustainable practices and validated by industry experts through a survey. After validating this framework, a robust framework is finally designed, which can be implemented in e-commerce companies for improved sustainability in their supply chain network. © 2023

Drivers of public plastic (mis)use - New insights from changes in single-use plastic usage during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The coronavirus pandemic (Covid-19) has influenced resource use and how people interact with their environment, with changing priorities and competing public health factors affecting pro-environmental behaviours at individual, societal, business and political levels. We used data from an online plastic footprint calculator to explore temporal changes, purchasing patterns and consumer behaviours around on-the-go plastic use during the pandemic. We hypothesised that 1) people's plastic use when on-the-go would change in response to the pandemic and related government restrictions and; 2) single-use plastic use on-the-go would decrease during lockdown periods due to restrictions against leaving home. The calculator received 1937 responses, with 13,544 plastic items recorded. Most used were food wrappers (54 % of all items), takeaway containers (12 %) and bottles (9 %). Six out of seven items showed increased use during lockdowns, in-line with our first hypothesis, but not the second. Three times more bottles were used, food wrapper consumption almost doubled, and takeaway container use more than doubled. Increased container use occurred alongside increased takeaway meal consumption during lockdowns. Patterns were similar between different periods of lockdown, with no significant differences in the number used of any items, or percentage of respondents using them. Results indicate that during lockdown, people found it harder to avoid single-use plastic while on-the-go, supporting evidence from other studies that plastic use can be driven by perceptions of hygiene benefits and lack of "safe" alternatives. Our results indicate opportunities to reduce single-use plastic consumption and we provide examples of successful implementation. Our findings evidence that, when properly applied, government-led guidance can effectively support consumer choices for reduced plastic use, encourage use of reusables, increase provision of alternatives, and dispel hygiene myths. The sudden increase in plastic waste due to the Covid-19 pandemic amplifies the need to substantiate plastic reduction policy promises without further delay.

Global COVID-19 Related Waste Challenges, Response Strategies, and Potential Opportunities

As the world navigates the COVID-19 pandemic, the surge in waste generation, the varied composition of waste, and its subsequent management has presented several challenges to many communities. Waste management techniques and cultivating an awareness of the environmental and health impacts of mismanaged wastes have varied with location, economics, and priorities of the region. Risk mitigation efforts including the wearing of masks, lockdowns, and stay at home orders intended to contain the spread of the virus have resulted in several unintended environmental implications. With the rise in consumer plastic consumption, single use PPE, take away food orders, and online shopping, many households across the globe have reported an increase in waste. While developed countries have been able to approach the surge by utilizing and expanding current municipal waste management programs, countries lacking this existing infrastructure battle an increased risk of continued infection and magnified environmental issues through open landfills, groundwater contamination, and limited community awareness. Adopting appropriate methods of risk communication and encouraging participation from the public to manage waste issues is critical to protecting the environment by limiting contamination, improving community involvement in reducing landfill waste, and encouraging recycling. It is imperative to develop waste management solutions while continuing the promotion of sustainable habits, combating the current pandemic situation, and preparing for future episodic events. Our study focuses on analyzing episodic waste generation during the pandemic, management strategies adopted globally, and identifying areas of possible improvement and alternate strategies that can be implemented. © ASCE.

Potential Impact of the Covid-19 Pandemic on Plastic Medical Waste Management in South Africa: A Narrative Review

The global increase in plastic consumption has intensified during the Covid-19 pandemic. This review aims to highlight the potential impact of inadequate capacity for medical waste management during the pandemic phase, assess existing capacity in South Africa, and discuss the way forward. Key findings are;mismanaged medical waste can result in the secondary transmission of diseases and medical waste capacity can undoubtedly be compromised by outbreaks of diseases. South Africa is at a vantage point where it can learn from other countries such as China whose pre-Covid-19 capacities were overwhelmed by the surge in medical waste. With around 34.1% of households lacking waste collection services, the current medical waste management systems may not be fully adequate to handle the expected increase in waste as Covid-19 infections rise. To prevent challenges associated with poor waste management practices;as resources are channeled towards containing the Covid-19 pandemic, equal effort should also be directed towards increasing the country's medical waste management capacity including transportation services and labour. A full audit of the systems across the country is required. Existing infrastructure that can be utilized, including cement kilns and furnaces, should be identified, while mobile incinerators will also be advantageous. © 2021 IEEE.

Romanian Students' Environment-Related Routines during COVID-19 Home Confinement: Water, Plastic, and Paper Consumption.

The disruptive force of the COVID-19 pandemic is lessening in power and plans are being made for the postcrisis period, among which increasing the sustainability of higher education is of significant importance. The study aims at establishing students' existing environment-related routines during their home confinement, as a basis for applying green measures to campus living once academic life is resumed with the physical presence of students. The collected data rely on self-reported information provided by 816 students from Politehnica University of Timisoara (Romania), collected via an online, anonymous survey. The novelty of the approach is that household environment-related routines are investigated during a crisis period, with the possibility to build upon the results to implement tailored measures to encourage or diminish environmentally relevant consumption by young, highly skilled individuals. The students display a moderate awareness of environmental issues and indicate consumption routines that may be steered towards an increased sustainability-conscious campus life, through the combined intervention of the university, city administration, and stakeholder involvement. The findings are used to explore the possible directions for action towards increasing or contributing to the territorial sustainability in the socio-ecological context of Timisoara, the largest university city in the western part of Romania via educational, managerial and policy interventions.