Disposable masks cause entanglement to wildlife and break down into microplastics

As our use of disposable masks explodes during the COVID outbreak, the local community is being urged to be vigilant about disposing of them correctly, so they don’t pollute the environment or harm marine or wildlife. One Geraldton local watching the issue unfold first hand is wildlife expert Michelle Jones, at Greenough Wildlife Rescue and Bird Park, who said disposable masks thrown away in coastal towns were ending up in our environment and affecting wildlife. “These masks have ended up in the ocean, drains and parklands. Masks are catching wildlife up with the straps and polluting local waterways,” Mrs Jones said. Mrs Jones said she saw a growing number of masks littered around Geraldton. “I personally pick up one mask a week around town, and on the beaches and in shopping centre car parks,” she said. An animal biology article published by Brill found although COVID PPE litter might contribute to a small amount of overall plastic pollution, it was a typical example of how society had adapted to “single-use” items. The article explains these plastics can contribute to the harm of animals directly, such as entanglement resulting in suffocation and death, and indirectly by breaking down into microplastics that can be ingested by marine life. Mrs Jones said it was best to cut the straps on masks before disposing them to avoid direct harm to animals through entanglement if plastic was to make its way back into the environment. There are different recycling points around Geraldton for different materials, for soft plastic disposal such as plastic masks you can find REDcycle bins at Woolworths and Coles supermarkets. Professor of Sustainability at Curtin University Peter Newman believes that there is more plastic production since the pandemic because of hygiene reasons. “The plastic evolution was more like a demolition . . . PPE could only be used once. All of the masks really are a major source of plastic going into our environment,” Prof Newman said. Professor Newman said plastic was not easy to rid of, despite recycling — and it caused extreme damage towards the environment. “There is a substance they create from oil that was designed not to break down. But it (turns out it) does, eventually into micro particles and it passes into the tissues of mammals and fish in a way that is very damaging to them,” he said. “So you have to think of it as something that needs to eventually be removed from society. It must be banned and phased out, not just recycled.” RECYCLING TIPS To avoid harming wildlife and marine life you can: For recycling options visit www.cgg.wa.gov.au/residents/my-home/recycle-in-geraldton.aspx,