Italy produced 10 percent less waste during the lockdown caused by the pandemic, but the use of disposable plastic and packaging increased. Italian researchers estimate that during the peak months of the lockdown, the production of municipal waste decreased by 500,000 tons. A decrease that allowed Italian landfills to absorb the 300,000 tons of extra waste due to protective masks and gloves. 

Following an appeal by President Xi Jinping himself, China's two largest food delivery platforms, Ele.me and Meituan Dianping, have launched a campaign against food waste in the country. Consumer guides, such as ingredient lists, portion sizes and other meal information, will be provided to help people avoid food waste due to misleading information. 

Although the Sars-CoV-2 virus can survive on refrigerated or frozen foods, the risk of infection remains very low, according to experts. Professor Ooi Eng Eong, Deputy Director of the Emerging Infectious Diseases Program at Duke-Nus Medical School, explained that internationally accepted minimum standards for food handling to prevent the transmission of pathogens also prevent transmission of the virus. 

The Waste and Resources Action Program (WRAO) found that around 6.6 million tonnes of food are wasted each year by British households, which equates to ten billion meals. Around 50 percent of all food waste occurs in the home, even during the lockdown due to the epidemic. 

This is the often ignored warning issued by researchers: it is not unlikely that dormant viruses could return to spread due to climate change. As happened with the coronavirus, new pandemics could break out due to human pressure on ecosystems. The temperature rise of just one degree is increasing the spread of tropical diseases such as zika and dengue, for example. 

The UN has launched an appeal to raise 565 million dollars and help Lebanese people affected by the explosion in the port of Beirut, in need of humanitarian and health assistance. UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said the money will help buy food and provide adequate shelter, clean water and sanitation for the most needy.