Masking Waste

By Dominique Gilbert, Christina Gold, Zachary Greening, Noa Hechtman, Jacob Wolfe

As everyone is aware, COVID-19 has caused a lot of changes to occur. Not only in a personal aspect with the cancellation of birthday parties and schools but in social and economic ways that will affect everyone globally for months, even years to come. Some discussions being brought up because of this pandemic are topics that a lot of citizens are have been having in the recent months concerning healthcare for all, the cancellation of college debt, and the implementation of livable wages. However, another conversation topic is starting to become more popular as the pandemic continues to grow, and the public’s fear continues. That topic is the improper disposing of latex gloves and disposable masks.

With news outlets, doctors, and disease officials from the CDC and WHO proclaiming their belief of everyone wearing gloves and masks outside of their homes, it is only logical to think that the public will follow. Fortunately, many people have as the wearing of gloves and masks in public has become a regular sight to see when one is doing an essential grocery trip run. However, what is also becoming a common trend to see are disinfecting wipes and latex gloves being thrown out of people’s cars. My social media feed is currently being flooded with pictures of people picking up masks from rivers, finding them at ATMs, and in parking lots of grocery markets. It’s a jarring sight to see, especially in empty streets with everyone sheltering at home when they can.

The proper use of gloves and masks has been cited to be an effective way to combat the spread of germs, as well as reduce the spread of the coronavirus. The use of the gloves is not the issue, it is how they are being disposed of. Or should I say, how they are not being disposed of. Many people are worried about bringing germs into their cars or even their houses once they have finished shopping. With fear often overrunning logic, many people are tossing their gloves and masks as soon as they get in the car. Some people are even throwing those items onto the sidewalk as soon as they exit the store. These actions are making it difficult for people who are considered essential workers and have to pick up more trash from people. Additionally, is also causing damage to our environment.

These masks and gloves do not simply stay in the same place in which one drops them. No, they are carried away by rain, wind, or a passing car and eventually end up in our waters. This can result in an increase in sea animals who die because of waste consumption. Oftentimes, sea turtles, sharks, and other creatures believe that the human waste found in the sea is food and mistakenly try to eat it. As we have all seen pictures of sea animals being harmed by human waste, as well as the damage our waste has done to the environment, I’m sure that everyone wants to do their part to ensure that that doesn’t increase during this already trying time. This is why I am doing my part by making people more aware of their actions and informing them of proper disposal methods with this blog post.

Recently, there have been environmental activists and waste management workers coming out and putting attention to the increase in waste. CNN, a popular news outlet, recently reported that waste management workers have had an increased workload since cities across the nation have gone onto lockdown, or placed stay at home orders for their citizens. Waste management workers are considered essential workers, so they have the benefit of still being paid during this pandemic the world is currently going through. Unfortunately, they are also putting themselves at risk by working with others and handling dangerous waste material. They are combatting this by increasing health measures with fog disinfectants for their trucks, masks, and heavy-duty gloves for their workers. However, this does not combat the extra workload they now have.

People have been mistakenly placing latex gloves in recycling bins. Because they cannot be recycled, these waste management workers have to pull apart the gloves and place them in their proper place, which isn’t in their recycling unit. Latex gloves are, unfortunately, not recyclable. The material that they are made of make it so that they cannot be recycled. Nitrile gloves, on the other hand, can be recycled. However, many people do not know which material the gloves they are wearing are, so they simply assume that all disposable gloves are made the same and that they can all be recycled. This is the dilemma waste management workers are trying to overcome as they continue to see an influx of gloves at their recycling units. This can also bring health risks to the waste management workers as they are being exposed to the germs that these gloves carry.

If you are thinking of buying another box of gloves for yourself and your family, then consider buying nitrile gloves. They still have the benefit of being a protective barrier between you and anything that your hands may come in contact with while you are out and about. However, this type of gloves has the added benefit of being recyclable. There has yet to be a confirmation of whether reusable gloves provide the same protection as disposable gloves, so for your safety and those around you, it is best to use disposable ones. Unfortunately, PPE (Personal protective equipment) such as masks, cannot be recycled. It is best to simply throw them in the regular trash bin for them to be properly disposed of.

This pandemic is bringing out the worst and best of everyone. Placing gloves and masks in their proper places goes hand in hand with social distancing. The more trash there are littering supermarkets, the more time essential workers have to be outside and exposed to potential contaminants. Furthermore, incorrectly placing latex gloves in the recycling bin means more work for those who work at recycling plants. So, for the sake of these essential workers, and everyone around you, please place our gloves and masks in the proper waste bin once you are done with them.