Masks, gloves, and wipes are littering beaches and waterways around the world as a reported 62,210 of these personal protective items have already been washed ashore and retrieved during the recent International Coastal Cleanup.
The annual event held every September involves participants from several countries and is the largest global volunteer effort, according to CNN Business. Last month, helpers from 76 countries gathered over 1.6 million pounds of trash, including tens of thousands of personal protective equipment (PPE) products.
“We absolutely believe that PPE waste is a significant threat to oceans and marine life,” said Dr. George Leonard, chief scientist at the nonprofit advocacy group, Ocean Conservancy. Leonard warns that with as much as 8 million metric tons of plastic already choking the world’s oceans, pandemic-driven trash can create a tipping point in water pollution. According to CNN, the World Economic Forum has predicted that by 2050, there could be more plastic than fish in terms of weight in our global waters.
Leonard blames the current crisis on the unprecedented demand and use of disposable plastic food containers, face masks, and gloves. According to the journal Environmental Science and Technology, the mismanagement of a monthly estimated use of 129 billion face masks and 65 billion gloves globally has resulted in widespread environmental contamination.
To properly dispose of pandemic-driven products, the Department of Ecology, State of Washington, says all PPE should be bagged and placed in dumpsters or unlined trash receptacles. The bags should be tied closed before disposal.
Lynn C. Allison ✉
Lynn C. Allison, a Newsmax health reporter, is an award-winning medical journalist and author of more than 30 self-help books.
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