Discarded COVID-19 masks are now littering the oceans

In Might, the French nonprofit Opération Mer Propre reported collecting numerous utilized deal with masks inside waves of the Mediterranean Sea. In accordance to the organization’s report, there has been a surge in “COVID waste”, which include masks, latex gloves and plastic hand sanitizer bottles, in the earlier 3 months. Unfortunately, this only compounds a squander dilemma that has been all-around for numerous a long time.

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In accordance to the United Nations Environmental Application (UNEP), in excess of 13 million metric tons of plastic waste go into the oceans each individual calendar year. UNEP predicts that the quantity of waste dumped in the oceans will boost up to 10 moments the present quantity in the next 15 a long time. Nevertheless, the UN report did not anticipate a situation where by folks about the globe had to use facial area masks on a everyday basis. The pandemic now complicates all efforts geared towards a safer and far more sustainable natural environment.

Linked: How to safely dispose contaminated gloves, masks, wipes and extra

In accordance to Joffrey Peltier of Opération Mer Propre, dozens of facial area masks, gloves and hand sanitizer bottles were being discovered at the base of the sea amid other plastic squander. Opération Mer Propre is a single of lots of organizations worried about the destiny of the setting after the coronavirus pandemic. “Soon there will be much more masks than jellyfish in the waters of the Mediterranean,” said Laurent Lombard of Opération Mer Propre.

Now, Opération Mer Propre and other corporations are calling for a a lot more careful tactic to the use of experience masks and other professional medical applications. Environmental activists are championing the use of reusable face masks and additional washing of fingers rather of putting on latex gloves. The oceans are now confused with plastic squander from our usual existence. If we continue to keep on pumping professional medical squander into the setting, we possibility pushing 1000’s of ocean species to extinction. In the text of Peltier, “With all the choices, plastic is not the solution to protect us from COVID.”

By means of The Guardian

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From https://www.lifegreenliving.com/blog/discarded-covid-19-masks-are-now-littering-the-oceans/

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https://lifegreenliving.wordpress.com/2020/06/11/discarded-covid-19-masks-are-now-littering-the-oceans/