Discarded masks and gloves heighten environmental woes

The personal protective equipment used to fight the covid-19 pandemic could prove to be disastrous for the environment. Disposable masks and gloves are only adding to plastic pollution woes, threatening oceans and marine life, share environmentalists from organisations like the Citizens Campaign for the Environment. These items may contain non-biodegradable elements like polypropylene and may also enhance the risk of catching Covid-19 for people cleaning up the litter. Bright coloured latex gloves may be mistaken for food by seabirds and turtles. A professor from Louisiana State University has initiated a survey to study the extent of the waste problem. Preliminary data from the survey showed that in the United States, gloves were the most commonly littered PPE.