The Materials Genome and COVID-19 Pandemic

Near the peak of the COVID-19 outbreak in Wuhan, China, the city generated about 240 metric tons of medical waste per day, thereby creating the need for flexible and repurposed mobile treatment facilities for managing solid and hazardous waste. In the US, the shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE), including face masks, gloves, and medical gowns, has added an unforeseen dimension to the population health crisis and unprecedented urgent requests for domestic and international donations to clinics and hospitals. It is unclear if the existing solid waste management facilities for medical waste can meet the rapid increase in demand, and there is an immediate threat that the pandemic impacts will spill over into a crisis of environmental pollution. Beyond medical facilities, the social distancing policies implemented in response to the pandemic have led to a dramatic surge in demand for face masks and tissue paper throughout the general population. The gap between demand and supply of such products has led to urgent calls for strategies to collect, disinfect, recycle, and reuse masks. Moreover, the pandemic seems to be the exact pivot point for what has been learned through the Materials Genome Initiative (MGI) to address human wellbeing and environmental sustainability.