The COVID-19 Pandemic and Unsustainable PPE Materials: A Correlation and Causality Analysis
研究了新冠疫情对欧洲和中国不可持续塑料市场（用于生产个人防护装备）的经济影响，通过VECM和格兰杰因果分析发现橡胶和股市指数对PPE材料价格的影响大于原油，有助于政策制定者和行业理解价格波动因素。
Abstract In this paper, we investigate the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on European and Chinese unsustainable and non-recyclable plastic markets, specifically those used for the production of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). We explore exogenous economic and commodity price impacts on polypropylene, acrylonitrile and polyvinyl-chloride, via VECM and Granger causality analysis, with the results remaining robust under testing. We find that price shocks from rubber and EUROSTOXX are significantly correlated with PPE materials, to a greater extent than crude oil, unexpectedly relating price declines in PPE materials to factors beyond medical demand. This will aid a policymakers and industry understand the factors that affect the price of unsustainable and non-recyclable PPE materials, respond to the need for pandemic PPE provision and reduce the potential environmental impact of future pandemics.