In addition to being a potential carrier of the virus, these castaways could pose a threat to wildlife and natural ecosystems. “Like other plastic pollution, littering these items creates environmental and health hazards,” Beth Porter, a waste expert and author of Reduce, Reuse, Reimagine: Sorting Out the Recycling System, tells mbg. So, we know that used PPE doesn’t belong on the ground—but where does it belong? Here are a few ways to dispose of it safely and sustainably. Well-meaning folks might wonder if it’s OK to put masks and gloves in the blue bin since it looks like it could be made of a recyclable material. The answer to that one is no since it could pose a health risk to recycling workers (hundreds of whom have already gotten sick since the pandemic began). “There is the fear that PPE exposed to COVID-19 could infect the front-line waste management workers who may not be properly outfitted or take the necessary precautions to handle potentially hazardous waste,” explains Porter. Even in non-pandemic times, surgical masks and latex gloves likely wouldn’t be accepted by your local recycling system because they can clog the machinery that sorts materials, similar to how plastic bags do. And if you do have to use the disposable stuff, Kauffman’s company TerraCycle offers a PPE zero-waste box that essentially works like a recycling bin for used safety equipment and protective gear. It comes with a prepaid return label so after you fill the box with disposable gloves, dust masks, garments, hairnets, beardnets, earplugs, and safety glasses, you can send it back to their HQ for processing. From there, “the collected waste is mechanically and/or manually separated into fibers and plastics,” explains Kauffman. “The fibers, such as paper or wood-based products, are recycled or composted. The plastics undergo extrusion and pelletization to be molded into new recycled plastic products.” It’s a complicated and expensive process, so these boxes cost a pretty penny (a small one comes in at $148). To offset the cost, consider reaching out to your local grocery stores or retailers to see if they’d consider stocking one in their space for the whole community to access. Unfortunately, littered PPE isn’t the only unsustainable byproduct of COVID-19. As stores, bars, and restaurants continue to open back up for takeaway service, we’re probably only going to start seeing more plastic packaging sitting around—lots of which is destined for landfill. “An estimated 108 local governments have temporarily suspended curbside recycling in some form, although at least 41 of these have since reopened,” says Porter. As we start to reemerge from social isolation, let’s make it gentler on the earth by following local recycling rules, cleaning up after outdoor gatherings, and keeping things low-waste whenever possible. Emma received her B.A. in Environmental Science & Policy with a specialty in environmental communications from Duke University. In addition to penning over 1,000 mbg articles on topics from the water crisis in California to the rise of urban beekeeping, her work has appeared on Grist, Bloomberg News, Bustle, and Forbes. She’s spoken about the intersection of self-care and sustainability on podcasts and live events alongside environmental thought leaders like Marci Zaroff, Gay Browne, and Summer Rayne Oakes.
