I am sharing words from an article written in July 2021. However with Covid 19 and its many variants we are now seeing still very much in evidence the numbers quoted may well have increased.
"1.6 billion disposable masks entered the ocean in 2020 and will take 450 years to biodegrade.
Yes, an estimated 1.6 billion disposable masks wound up in the ocean in 2020, creating a vast pile of floating plastic waste and threatening marine life across the planet.
Researchers from Visual Capitalist found that 3 per cent of the 52 billion disposable single-use masks produced to curb the Covid-19 pandemic found their way into the sea.
The throwaway masks sent 5500 metric tonnes of plastic into the oceans, which will take up to 450 years to biodegrade, the group said.
The looming environmental catastrophe prompted one French ecologist to warn last year “Soon there will be more masks than jellyfish.”
Properly disposing of single-use masks in the trash or landfill is critical to minimising their impact on the ocean, experts say.
But the most effective way to reduce the impact on the ocean is to don reusable face coverings."
Researchers from Visual Capitalist found that 3 per cent of the 52 billion disposable single-use masks produced to curb the Covid-19 pandemic found their way into the sea.
The throwaway masks sent 5500 metric tonnes of plastic into the oceans, which will take up to 450 years to biodegrade, the group said.
But the most effective way to reduce the impact on the ocean is to don reusable face coverings."
Read more here
h/t Marks Daily Apple here
I know every-time I go out I see masks littering the pavements, and when visiting hospital for a routine blood test to my horror and almost disbelief there were countless masks littering the car park and walkways!!! Is it asking too much of people to put their masks in their pockets and dispose of them safely when they get home? We need to protect our planet, the land, sea and skies ...
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All the best Jan
39 comments:
Totally agree--trash belongs in the trash can.
...here I see them lying on the ground!
It is so sad to hear the amount that is going in the ocean or anywhere really, Luckily in our area I haven't seen too many around, maybe one or two here and there but that is all, but I am sure there are places that are not so careful.
I've seen them littering the street also. This is why we use cloth masks.
Why people are not disposing of them correctly is beyond my understanding, honestly.
this is horrible-
Yo utilizo las mascaras re utilizables y si hay que ser cuidadosos con el medio ambiente y con los demás .Te mando un beso
Lazy people too tired to walk a few more steps to dispose..
Sigh. I see them here too - and like my reusable ones.
It is frustrating just how many you see lying on the ground. X
Good post!
I see more and more squashed masks in parking store lots, the blue paper kind.
And it's so important to cut through the elastic ear pieces before disposing of them, as birds or small animals can get trapped in hem. Valerie
Great info in these post!The worst I think people tend to be secure wwhen they are vaccinated so they reallly dont care.Un knowledge can be fatefully for many
How difficult is it to put rubbish in the bin. I use reusable masks.
The thing that annoys me is the people who don't wear their masks correctly. The number of folk walking around with them on their chins and not covering their nose is quite striking.
I don't understand why people just don't dispose of them properly. There are trash receptacles all over the place. Inside and outside of buildings.
I keep picking them up out of the ditch. Some people are careless.
I don't go out much, so don't see them littering the ground like I did when masks were first mandatory. I use cloth masks which I understand are not allowed in some countries. Thanks for these warnings and the idea from Valerie to cut the ear pieces, too.
I find them on the ground in a lot of places here in town. :(
Wow! That is so sad and depressing. Used masks litter the parking lots of my town. A lot of humans are simply disgusting. Thanks for the information.
These are frightening statistics and it's only going to get worse, what is wrong with people how hard is it to dispose of their masks properly I see them littered everywhere.
Sadly people don't care about the planet :-( It breaks my heart to see all the litter up here. I do litter picking a lot but it is an endless battle. Scotland is shocking for litter issues. When we have been down south, we noticed it wasn't nearly as bad as up here.
I was reading about bird getting caught up in the masks too :-(
I worry about this too -- and I just can't get it, why people don't throw things away in the right spots. Between that, masks under noses or none at all, it doesn't say much about our populations!
I see a lot of mask litter.
I haven't really seen very many masks on the ground around here - maybe because most people aren't wearing them.
Ours are washable so we don't have to throw them away. :)
Too true Jan.
Thank you for this informative post. It is so important for people to become aware that small actions on our part can make a big impact on the environment .
I cut my up. Maybe I could do college out of one or some creative project.
Coffee is on and stay safe
Very timely.
I really love your blog. You are careful about finding meaningful things to blog about and you take time to research, which makes your blog both interesting and a valuable tool for the rest of us.
I don't wear disposable masks..My stepdaughter made them for all seasons so I wash them..I guess it's past time to get my Christmas ones out..Must do that..Have a wonderful Holiday season..
Last summer we were hiking in the Canadian Rockies and my husband picked up 7 masks lying on a short 1 km trail. It was disheartening.
I only wear reusable masks that tie around the back of my head, so they can't fall off. I'm shocked by the number of disposable masks I see lying around, but there's also a fair number of reusable masks that end up dropped in the street.
Very informative and I too have been concerned about excessive mask disposable ~ wonder where I can find a better washable one other than what I have ~ Xo
Happy Week to you,
A ShutterBug Explores,
aka (Creative Harbor)
No me gusta lo que están haciendo, la naturaleza lo está sufriendo. Besos.
soooooo important to wear them and dispose of them properly!! i always wear ones i can wash, thus keeping them out of landfills!!
this sad that like here in your part of land masks are dumped in ocean .it makes my heart heavy that these beautiful huge waters are bearing the wait of our ignorance as well as ozone .
i hope there is some solution to it and the permanent one
weight i mean ,sorry for mistake
Yes, we do need to protect our planet! This is so sad! Big Hugs!
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