North, UK - The Environmental Issues of PPE Waste - 1st Choice Waste Management

We are getting better at thinking about the environment when we buy different products but we still have a way to go to ensure that we stop the decline and the damage we are causing to the world especially now we have PPE Waste to think about.

A lot of people will no longer buy a bottle of water or a fizzy drink when they are out as they are now much more aware of the impact it is having. I know this isn’t the same for everyone in the world but a lot of people are now changing their mindsets when it comes to this sort of purchase and plastic waste.

The Coronavirus pandemic has brought about dramatic changes in the way we live our lives in 2020 and the world has had to react quickly to all the challenges we have been faced with quickly. Unfortunately, with the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) inside and outside of hospitals, as well as a lot of us having to revert to online shopping we are all now adding even further to landfill sites and the environmental problems we have created. During the pandemic, the need for PPE has significantly driven increased plastic pollution and we haven’t had the time to think about the damaging impact of it.

I’m sure we have all noticed the PPE masks dropped on the ground around where we live and work, not only creating litter but animals are dying getting tangled up in the masks that have been disposed of carelessly.

Our new mantra when we go out is keys, phone, facemask and gel to support the government’s hands, face & space, but what happens to your disposable face mask when you’ve finished with it?

Now that is mandatory to wear a facemask in the UK when inside shops, on public transport, for medical appointments, in cafes, restaurants and when getting takeaways we are getting into the swing of it and we should all try and do our bit. If you aren’t working in the medical sector and you haven’t done so already then you should change to using reusable facemasks to reduce the number of masks and PPE Waste going into landfill, as well as littering our towns, cities and countryside.

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For some people, it seems a small change which won’t make a huge difference but to put it into perspective a single-use face mask can take over 20 years to break down in landfill compared to a reusable one which can be worn, washed and used many many times over.

A recent study conducted by shopping comparison site, finder.com showed that at the start of the pandemic over half of the UK population were choosing to wear single-use non-biodegradable masks. It was estimated that if this continued then over 1.6 billion non-biodegradable face masks would be disposed of in landfills monthly

Make a change now and negate the need for single-use masks by ordering yourself and your family a couple of cotton facemasks each. If you have a few, they can be washed every time you use them and you’ll always have one to hand when you need one.

To find out more about our Waste Management Services and how we manage any PPE Waste in Middlesbrough & Teesside call us today on 01642 478 734 and we can answer any questions you may have whether its for domestic, commercial or industrial waste.

You can read our full article here: 1stchoicewastegroup.co.uk/ppe-waste-environmental-issues/