• CIRCULAR ECONOMY: A 'green' revolution that cannot wait

Sometimes there are those who only see the good side of things. It does not matter if they are badly given; manages to get something positive in what happens. That is why, although it sounds crazy, the coronavirus even comes to be understood as a respite , at least for the environment.

According to the International Energy Agency, the planet will use 6% less energy in 2020 . This in turn implies a reduction in CO2 emissions. Added to this is the fact of not seeing planes flying and hardly any cars on the road , which means cleaner skies and no pollution.

All this, together with the growing involvement of citizens in the area of ​​recycling, suggested that, at least, the Covid-19 was going to cause our mentality to turn green without remission. But, unfortunately, all that it reduces is not gold.

Once again, plastic, in its infinite ways of intervening in our lives, comes back into play and sows doubts in good practices that, little by little, were penetrating society. And this time, almost in a veiled way, in the form of a lesser evil: as sanitary products to avoid catching the coronavirus , in the form of gloves, masks, and other disposables for just one use.

The moment could not be more coincidental either : it only took a few months for the European Parliament's checkmate to be consumed with multiple plastic products to use and throw away . Serve this data in case someone has any kind of doubt about what Humanity is facing: the European Commission estimates that 80% of the garbage found in the oceans is plastic.

Fines for throwing waste on the ground can reach 3,000 euros, depending on the type of municipal ordinance

Likewise, the United Nations quantifies 13 million tons that are thrown into the sea each year. And this without counting that, although it is almost obligatory to protect yourself with gloves and masks in which cases, it should not be forgotten either that, according to a study by various American universities, the SARS-CoV-2 remains stable for up to 72 hours after applying on a plastic surface.

Still, the bad news doesn't stop there. How will they be if recently multiple municipalities have warned their neighbors that they will impose sanctions ranging between 500 euros or even up to 3,000 euros, as is the case of Toledo.

Since last May 21, the consistory of the La Mancha capital has launched an awareness campaign (with the slogan Caring for the environment we all protect ourselves) in which it remembers that, according to the Municipal Ordinance on Street Cleaning, it is prohibited to throw waste or any type of garbage on public or private roads. Failure to comply carries a fine ranging from 150 to 3,000 euros.

All this is given by the proliferation of images of surgical gloves and disposable masks, not only on the street, but also collected from the shores of the coast or within the sea. A tragic collateral damage that can destroy all the work done on ecological awareness.

"Disposing of masks and gloves incorrectly can pose a major environmental problem, in addition to the obvious increase in the risk of contagion, " says Antonio Blanes, director of technical services at the General Council of Pharmaceutical Colleges, for whom it is essential to remember that these materials They should always flush into the Remains container and never into another container or, of course, onto the street or down the toilet.

a matter of common sense

Fernando Simón, director of the Coordination Center for Health Alerts and Emergencies of the Ministry of Health, reflected on this fact last Monday, stating that, as it is not known who has worn that mask or glove lying on the ground, we do not know if they are infected, which may pose a risk to others. " This does not consist of an 'I protect myself, and save myself who can' , but in 'I protect myself to protect others," argued the expert.

Thus, it did not take long for social media initiatives to appear in the form of a hashtag to make a massive appeal to everyone to try not to create another pandemic, but in this case of plastics. One of the most popular on the social network Twitter is being #NoAbandonesTusGuantesYMascarillas , with which common sense is called with explanatory images and videos on what to do when it comes time to get rid of one of the anti-contagion products with which we live. nowadays.

Good practices when it comes to an issue as intricate as plastic are key, especially when it comes to addressing business strategies. In this sense, many energy companies are demonstrating their commitment , beyond donating masks and gloves to groups that, due to their specific needs, have urgently needed this sanitary material.

80% of the garbage found in the oceans is plastic. 13 million tons are thrown per year

Repsol, for example, as a way of strengthening its commitment to the circular economy, launched last year, as the spearhead of its Reciclex project, a new material composed of low-density polyethylene and 50% post-consumer waste. In this way, the incorporation of a recycled plastic into the film used as a container for the transport of packs of cans, bottles or bricks is allowed .

Another way to focus its environmental commitment is the one carried out by BP, with the development of a technology, called BP Infinia, which is capable of transforming ODR or difficult to recycle waste from polyethylene terephthalate, one of the most used polymers in the packaging process, in recycled raw materials with little loss of quality for use.

For its part, Cepsa is not far behind in terms of sustainable initiatives. Like most energy companies, it has a presence throughout the value chain, and has a chemical department where products for other industries are manufactured, such as phenol, which is used to make state-of-the-art plastics, or Linear alkylbenzene (LAB), of which Cepsa is the world's leading producer, and is the main raw material for many biodegradable detergents .

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