Gary Stokes from OceansAsia: “There’s enough masks here to last til eternity!” Courtesy OceansAsia.
There is no doubt the millions and millions of face masks and rubber gloves as well as thousands of litres of sanitizer have helped save lives in recent months. But are they contributing to a hidden waste problem? Jeremy Torr looks at the issue of protection from a pollution perspective.
Soko Islands, Hong Kong. June 2020. Since the world woke up to the horror of a global pandemic spread partly by droplet infection, the use of PPE (personal protective equipment) has rocketed. Some reports indicate that for masks alone, the largest manufacturer, China, has the ability to churn out 20 million a day. Other countries produce millions more. Several countries have mandated mask wearing; most recommend the use of alcohol sanitizer gels. And many shoppers also now wear single-use gloves when handling goods from public-access shelves.
However, disposing of them correctly is extremely important yet this does not seem to be happening everywhere. Single-use masks, gloves, surplus sanitizer and empty bottles of are ending up on the streets, in the seas and worse still - among wildlife.
Masks protect users - but can harm our environment. Courtesy WASIP.
The reality is that many people are simply discarding the gloves, masks and gel bottles, producing not just an infection hazard for sanitation workers that clean the streets, but also a new pollution threat for our oceans as huge quantities end up in rivers and seas.
One ocean cleanup expert, Gary Stokes from Hong Kong based OceansAsia, regularly visits the uninhabited Soko Islands between Hong Kong and China. He recently noticed a difference on the beaches, only six to eight weeks into the pandemic along with the increased use of disposable masks.
“There was enough trash (on the islands) to last an eternity,” he noted. “And now we have this extra (pollution) to contend with; since coronavirus all these masks have been washed up on the beaches.” Stokes added that the number of masks and gloves washed up had visibly increased, and that they must have got there after being washed into the sea.
But it’s not just the potential infection risk; there’s a waste problem too. The masks are mostly made of polypropylene, which is not easily biodegradable. And because of their woven structure, after a time in the sea they act as a seeding layer for algae. This makes them look and taste like food to unsuspecting marine life like turtles, dolphins and large browsing fish. And likewise gloves, even though they can be made from natural rubber, don’t degrade rapidly and can cause starvation if swallowed.
Although most rubber gloves are natural latex, they can still kill marine life. Courtesy eBay.
"We've got pink dolphins and green turtles coming through," said Stokes. "And one recent study showed that when plastic is left in the water long enough and algae and bacteria grow on it, it actually smells like food to turtles." As for sanitizer gel, high demand for the key component glycerol (C3H8O3) has led to the ramping up of propylene-based (oil-based) synthetic gels instead of the usual natural fat-based gels. As a petroleum product, that too can harm wildlife when flushed. Additionally, many antibacterial products contain triclosan, which can contribute to the antibiotic resistance of bacteria, enter the food chain in both oceans and on land, and lead to bacterial resistance to powerful antibiotics – so they definitely should not be poured into the regular sewage system.
Making things worse is the fact that while we all understand gloves, masks and other PPE are critical for those fighting the pandemic, many are being used (and discarded) by those that don’t really need them, say some experts.
Courtesy WHO.
“The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has done an about-face on face masks and has updated its guidance to recommend widespread use of simple cloth face coverings,” says the world famous Mayo Clinic. Mayo says the use of cloth masks can help prevent transmission of the virus by people who have COVID-19 but don't know it. And the WHO, who initially advised people not to wear masks at all, agrees. It notes that reusable and washable masks are just as effective as disposables. And a lot better for the environment.
The use of gloves by the general public – particularly disposables – leading to extra pollution and waste also gets the thumbs down for those not working on the medical frontlines. It seems that handwashing, done properly, is better than any brand of alcohol-based sanitizer.
According to the WHO, using soap and water and scrubbing and squeezing for as long as it takes to sing Happy Birthday twice is enough to make the most polluted hands safe and clean. Better still, handwashing actually kills germs and better still physically removes dirt, debris, and other spores that can give you other diseases too. In fact the WHO also advises that hand washing gives more protection against catching COVID-19 than wearing rubber gloves while in public areas - and the CDC agrees: “Regular handwashing is one of the best ways to remove germs, avoid getting sick, and prevent the spread of germs to others,” it says. Sound advice, so take all the care you can, but bin the gloves, masks and gel, and wash your hands thoroughly instead.
You’ll be helping a turtle if you do.