Single use personal protective equipment (PPE) is significantly adding to the already serious plastic pollution crisis, experts have warned
Single use personal protective equipment is significantly adding to the already serious plastic pollution crisis, experts have warned.
An estimated 194 billion disposable masks and gloves are being used worldwide every month as a result of theMost single use PPE is made from a variety of plastics, including polypropylene, polyethylene and vinyl.Volunteers across the UK have seen a"massive" rise in the amount of littering on high streets, beaches and in canals and rivers as a result of single use masks, according to Friends of the Earth.
Disposable plastic masks that end up at sea could take up to 450 years to fully decompose and leave the marine ecosystem, according to Waste Free Oceans, which says it collects and recycles marine litter by collaborating with fishermen and businesses.Even when disposed of correctly, it is claimed PPE cannot be recycled, as it is considered medical waste.
It ends up either in landfill, or being incinerated, which can lead to toxic fumes and contributes to climate change.
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