City to Sea has launched a campaign to help prevent an environmental disaster emerging from the current health emergency.
On their website, they state, “The global coronavirus pandemic has created a new and completely unprecedented problem – the littering of personal protective equipment (PPE).”From February to mid-April this year more than a billion items of PPE were given out in the UK alone. In a hospital environment, these items are regarded as medical waste, but we’re seeing them littering our streets and washing up on beaches across the world.”
It is not just the campaigning organisations which are highlighting this problem. Regular users of social media will know that used PPE on our streets is becoming a major concern for local people.
The City to Sea website has made a number of recommendations to help people to protect the environment which includes:
Choose to reuse! Both the UK government and the World Health Organisation (WHO) advise that unless you fall into a high-risk group, you can make your own washable, reusable masks or face coverings.
Make your own reusable, washable mask or face-covering.
Follow the best and latest government advice about PPE.
If you do need to use single-use masks or gloves, dispose of them safely and make sure they don’t end up littering in our environment and oceans.
Help spread the word – share a photo of you wearing your reusable mask on social media using #ChooseToReuse and tagging @CitytoSea_
Bob Jope HEALTHWATCH TORBAY
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