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Discarded masks and gloves are becoming a health hazard as people dump them
on streets

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   Updated 1542 GMT (2342 HKT) April 21, 2020

   A mask littered on the street.
   A mask littered on the street.
   A mask littered on the street.

   (CNN)During a walk around his block in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Mark
   Benfield was struck by how many discarded gloves and masks he saw on
   his short route.
   The Louisiana State University professor, who focuses on microplastic
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   The problem is so severe that many state and county public health
   departments have issued advisories against throwing masks and gloves on
   the streets and parking lots.
   Read More
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   littered in the span of a few blocks.
   The map, using data from the survey responders, shows Chicago's
   Hermosa/Logan Square neighborhood on April 16. Masks are shown as
   circles, gloves as triangles, and wipes as squares. The yellow area is
   their survey area.
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   PPE tracking around a Chicago block
   "Preliminary data from these survey responses shows that gloves are the
   most common PPE waste," Benfield said. "In the US, masks are difficult
   for the public to get. So gloves are most commonly found PPE waste on
   the street. In China, masks are freely available. So you see more masks
   discarded."

     Good afternoon to only those that do not throw their used
     gloves/masks on the ground. pic.twitter.com/CQqrOmhWrI
     — 💙💙AMBER💙💙 (@amber00827) April 18, 2020

   Gloves, masks and wipes are all plastic. When that's discarded into the
   environment, it goes into sewer systems or water bodies. It breaks down
   into microplastics, which still attract pesticides and other harmful
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   Paul Zambrotta, who is director of safety at Mr. T Carting, a private
   waste management company that handles commercial waste, said he often
   finds rubber gloves and masks in the recycling mix.
   He said he thinks that a combination of misinformation and wish-cycling
   is to blame.
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   "If anyone had a sneeze or a little itch, they thought they needed to
   self-isolate. At one point, I had 90% of my workforce out sick."
   There is no market for used gloves and masks, and they can't be sold.
   However, they can easily get caught into the machinery in the recycling
   line and shut the facility down.
   "Masks and gloves do not belong in recycling," Benfield reiterated.
   As Earth Day approaches, Esposito said people should feel obligated to
   protect the environment.