We are almost two years into the COVID-19 pandemic, and there are still mask mandates. Many individuals prefer to wear disposable masks over reusable ones. I find disposable masks are easier to breathe than cloth ones, as they are made of a thinner material—thermoplastic polyester.
With the pandemic in the picture, personal protective equipment (PPE) is an increased threat to the environment. I constantly see surgical masks improperly disposed of—on sidewalks and streets, hanging on trees and floating on shores.
In general, it is mind-boggling that people continue to litter, rather than dispose of their things in garbage or recycling bins. Despite the large fines for littering, individuals will discreetly drop their cigarette butts and plastic water bottles while driving and walking, relying on waste collectors to clean up their mess.
To make matters worse, animals are affected by human mess. Regarding masks, wildlife is getting entangled and/or ingesting them, leading to death. An estimated 1.56 billion face masks entered our oceans by the end of 2020, and I can only imagine how much of it affected marine life. Environmental researchers have been receiving an abundance of photos and observations from people globally of animals—both terrestrial and marine—interacting with personal protective equipment. Images include birds, crabs, and fish being entangled, ingesting and using masks as nesting material.
How do you properly dispose of your masks? Use a scissor to cut the loops of the masks and place the mask in a garbage bin to prevent wildlife from interacting with them. I made a public service announcement video for my multimedia storytelling class about this topic, which can be found in the Adobe page of my website.
However, it is more difficult to properly dispose of masks. Many major cities have removed public trash bins, obligating pedestrians to hold their trash for longer. I live near New York City, and I have noticed fewer trash cans on street corners. While it is aesthetically pleasing to not see overflowing trash bins, it is inconvenient when getting rid of my mask or other garbage.
Unfortunately, NYC has seen almost twice the amount of garbage it did before COVID-19, with litter spilling onto the streets. As a result, rodent sightings have increased. The lack of public trash bins likely plays a role in the pileup, as many people do not like to search for a bin. I just wonder how many rodents and pigeons have died from interacting with masks and other waste on the ground.
Despite being called single-use masks, I encourage you to reuse them multiple times to decrease plastic pollution. When you are done with your mask, cut the loops and place the masks and scraps in a bin. For personal trash, be sure to drop it in your apartment’s chute or bring it to your local transfer station. This promotes sanitation and protects wildlife from harm.
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