Riley Chou
Due to the current global pandemic, face masks have become the most essential household item in families all around the world. These protective coverings serve as a barrier that protects the human from spreading airborne diseases, which is why they are now required for entering crowded public places like grocery stores. While personal protection is crucial in flattening the curve for the virus, these safety supplies have gradually established their place amongst the most commonly littered waste and have become the newest threat our marine wildlife has to face.
Conservationists are on high alert as the amount of personal protective equipment (PPE) found in seabeds and washed up on various beaches around the world have skyrocketed, making frequent appearances in places like France and Hong Kong. PPE such as gloves, masks, and wipes are all made out of plastic materials, which don't degrade in nature and pose a threat to wildlife. Improperly disposed PPE will add on to the eight million tons of plastic waste that enter our oceans each year, joining the 150 million tons of plastic that are already circulating in the marine biome. This sudden flood of plastic PPE in the ocean is dangerous for the marine ecosystem because plastic does not biodegrade and only breaks down into microplastics. Microplastics act as sponges that absorb all the toxins in the surrounding waters such as pesticides, PCBs, and other toxic chemicals. Since microplastics are so small, they can be easily ingested by wildlife with just a gulp, and those toxins accumulate in the organism’s bodies. Once they are eaten by their predators, these toxins make their way up the food chain. This is especially hazardous to species at the top of the food chain because they are consuming all the toxins that the long sequence of animals before ingested and that leads to dangerously high amounts of harmful chemicals in their bodies. COVID-19 is a virus that affects humans, but the change of our habits to combat the situation has put vulnerable marine species in even more danger.
It truly is unfortunate that marine animals are suffering from our own carelessness, however, there are things you can do on your own that can prevent yourself from worsening the problem. Here at Ocean Conservancy Club, we are dedicated to educating the public about what they can do to help the oceans, so here are a few tips that will keep us safe from the disease and the animals safe from toxins:
Don’t Litter: This should be common sense, however, many people still struggle to follow this simple step that keeps our community clean. Littering used PPE will put thousands of animals’ lives at stake if it enters the wild or the waterways. Even if that face mask is picked up by someone and thrown away, the used mask will expose them to the virus and other bacteria on your mask. Plus, keeping your community clean just makes your town look more visually appealing, so why litter?
Toss your masks in the trash: Yes, masks and gloves are made out of plastic, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they are recyclable. In addition to being made out of single-use materials, these masks are full of whatever is blocked from the outside and what you breathe on it on the inside. Disposing them improperly can have undesirable consequences just as much as littering them on the ground. A mask in the recycling bin contaminates the entire bin with all its germs, and that further exposes the people who sort the recycling to those microbes.
Don’t use plastic masks or gloves multiple times: We know you are trying your best to cut down on your waste, but it is best to keep yourself safe during the pandemic. Used masks can harbor bacteria, and used gloves can form little holes on them that render the protective barrier useless. Sure, you might be using a lot of PPE, but by following the tips above, you can effectively keep your PPE out of our waterways!
Get a washable cloth mask: For those who are only going into stores, cloth masks are great if you want to showcase your personality and reduce the number of masks you’re using! They come in lots of different colors and styles, and it’s as simple as tossing it into the washing machine after each use. If you want to be creative, you can even find a tutorial online and DIY your own!
Those are just a couple of ways you can save our oceans and stay safe during the pandemic, and if everyone follows those steps, we can keep the amount of PPE that lurks in nature to a minimum. Our PPE waste is contaminating the ocean and adding to the preexisting problem that has been killing our wildlife for decades. It is a community effort to truly make an impact, and the fight for our oceans shouldn’t stop even in the midst of a pandemic. Together, we can steer Covid-19 towards a sustainable path by performing eco-conscious practices.
References:
Edmond, Charlotte. “How Face Masks, Gloves and Other Coronavirus Waste Is Polluting Our Ocean.” World Economic Forum, 11 June 2020, www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/06/ppe-masks-gloves-coronavirus-ocean-pollution/.
Smith, Brian. “Stay Safe and End PPE Pollution!” Citizens Campaign for the Environment, Citizens Campaign for the Environment, 24 Apr. 2020, www.citizenscampaign.org/cceblog/2020/4/24/stay-safe-and-end-ppe-pollution.
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