Discarded face masks, gloves ad to environmental pollution

VEREENIGING. – Disposable face masks, gloves and other personal protective equipment (PPE) is effective at curbing the transmission of COVID-19 but when discarded improperly ads to a growing environmental pollution. On a 06:00 to 09:00 morning walk in the vicinity near Vereeniging Kopanong Hospital several discarded PPE’s were found strewn next to the roadside at …

May 18, 2020

Christiaan Cloete Less than a minute

Discarded face masks such as this one found along Senator Rood Avenue in Unitaspark not only ads to pollution but also creates a health risk. Photo: Christiaan Cloete

VEREENIGING. – Disposable face masks, gloves and other personal protective equipment (PPE) is effective at curbing the transmission of COVID-19 but when discarded improperly ads to a growing environmental pollution.

On a 06:00 to 09:00 morning walk in the vicinity near Vereeniging Kopanong Hospital several discarded PPE’s were found strewn next to the roadside at several places.

Not only is this adding to pollution, it is also a potential health threat to those that may clean up the discarded PPE.