EARLY this year, researchers at the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases revealed that SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, can be detected in aerosols for up to three hours and on plastic and stainless steel surfaces for up to three days.
Also, as pointed out in an infographic material published by the Environmental Management Bureau, “used masks may carry germs and should be properly disposed of in order to prevent further spreading of the coronavirus.”
To discourage the unrestrained use and disposal of throw-away masks that could further spread COVID-19 and adversely affect surroundings, environmental groups have appealed to the public to opt for reusable fabric masks, which can be easily washed with detergent or soap and safely reused.
The call is worth heeding. By opting for reusable or washable facemasks, we avoid generating non-biodegradable and non-recyclable garbage that only adds to the worsening plastic pollution crisis. Of course, limiting people’s use of medical-grade masks will also ensure adequate and steady supply for individuals who need them the most.
Yes, too, authorities must make the responsible disposal of used facemasks and other personal protective equipment (PPE) mandatory to safeguard human health and the environment.
As the wearing of face masks and other face coverings has become a daily routine, we are deeply concerned that some of these protective items, particularly the non-biodegradable and non-recyclable plastic masks, are ending up polluting the environment further threatening public health.
To address this threat, the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases and all local government units must underscore ecological waste management as an integral component of the protocols to combat COVID-19 transmission. We urge the IATF and our LGUs to make it a point to include the ecological management of used facemasks and other personal protective equipment in the guidelines being enforced in our communities and workplaces.
The unhygienic and environmentally destructive practice of throwing soiled masks and other PPEs on the sides of streets and other public places is very worrisome. The ban on dumping or littering under Republic Act 9003, or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act and related ordinances, should be enforced.
If we fail to stop such a practice, littered facemasks may become as common as cigarette butts and plastic bags polluting the streets, beaches and seas. Fish and other marine animals do not wear face masks, so please dispose of your used masks with utmost care.
At the minimum, soiled disposable masks should be wrapped on a used paper and discarded in a closed bin and not simply thrown on the streets where they can end up in storm drains and eventually into the rivers and oceans.
