More masks than jellyfish : coronavirus waste ends up in ocean, reports The Guardian
‘Conservationists have warned that the coronavirus pandemic could spark a surge in ocean pollution – adding to a glut of plastic waste that already threatens marine life – after finding disposable masks floating like jellyfish and waterlogged latex gloves scattered across seabeds. ‘
As a carer in a nursing home, I fully appreciate the essential need for what are called PPE – personal protective equipment. Masks are part of the ‘arsenal’ of staff and volunteers who help people with disabilities and who are elderly, to keep everyone safe from airborne problems. The problem is – these masks are not ending up in safe holes in the ground, they are ending up in the sea and oceans….
In France alone, authorities have ordered two billion disposable masks, said Laurent Lombard of Opération Mer Propre. “Knowing that … soon we’ll run the risk of having more masks than jellyfish in the Mediterranean.”
“With all the alternatives, plastic isn’t the solution to protect us from Covid”, Joffrey Peltier, another co-founder of Opération Mer Propre, told the Guardian.
It seems no surprise that, among all the other plastic waste, single-use personal protective equipment (PPE) is making its way into the oceans. Already, around 13 million tonnes of plastic makes its way into the ocean each year, according to a 2018 report by the UN. By 2050, there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish, by weight. Source : greenmatters
What do you think the answer is? How cAN WE STOP MASKS FROM GETTING INTO THE OCEAN?
