Makayla Baddeley 

Throughout this pandemic, there has been an abundance of pandemic waste accumulating in the streets and throughout the nation. People aren’t properly disposing of their PPE which are masks, gloves, alcohol wipes, etc. There should be more trash cans in highly populated areas like doctors’ offices, grocery stores, malls, and other essential businesses during this pandemic.

If there were ‘PPE only’ trash cans, then there might be a chance that we can ensure this pandemic trash could be properly disposed of. The average medical mask has a lifespan of 450 years. You know the light blue mask that you see a lot of people wearing now? Yeah, that mask. If improperly disposed of, this pandemic could be lingering over us for the next 450 years or more. ‘PPE only’ trash cans would collect masks, gloves and possibly wipes. This would mean that these masks and gloves would be taken and properly disposed of.

Consider reusing your PPE mask as a homemade mask or investing in a cloth mask that can be washed and reused. But please do not put your masks or gloves in the recycle! In some cases like parking lots there are no trash cans, and a lot of people want to get rid of their mask before they get back in their car. If we could implement trash cans alongside ‘PPE only’ trash cans, it would slow the nation’s trash pollution along with the nation’s pandemic trash pollution. In some states like Massachusetts, improperly disposing of PPE is now a crime. If you see a mask or gloves on the ground and have something to pick them up with, please throw it in the trash. This is not just an issue during this pandemic; without our help, this will be an issue for decades after.