Written by Anya Malek
Face masks are one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of COVID-19. However, the lack of proper disposal knowledge may lead to the detriment of birds who fall victim to pollution due to masks. The fact is that most people don’t consider doing anything more than put used disposable masks in the trash, but when these masks don’t end up in landfills, they can severely harm the surrounding animals.
According to UN News, only 75% of used masks end up in landfills; this leaves 25% in the ocean, on sidewalks, and anywhere else they shouldn’t be. Birds, especially, are being affected since the masks can tangle around small bird’s bodies or larger bird’s legs. Getting trapped in masks impairs their ability to fly and get around... not to mention how much masks can weigh them down. In the United Kingdom, environmentalists are writing articles warning about the risks that masks pose to wildlife. Birds all over are being found dead strangled by disposable masks. So how exactly do we prevent this? It’s simple, cut or tear out the mask strings. That’s it. It takes less than 5 seconds and can save hundreds of birds. It is essential to assume this practice in residential areas close to wildlife or national parks.
Our Biscayne bay has around 220 different bird species, so it’s important to practice proper disposal to protect our own backyard. Unfortunately, not many people know about what’s happening or even know they should be cutting their masks’ string. Sarah Galindo states that “I throw away disposable masks after using them multiple times...and I just throw it in the trash cause there’s no recycling in my building... I actually didn’t know that not cutting off the strings would lead to animals getting caught in them, but now that I do, I’ll make sure I start cutting them.” Another student, Miriam Rios, mentions, “Well, I try not to use disposable masks, but when I do, I have no idea where to dispose of [them], and when throwing them away, they just end up in a landfill or worse the ocean… I did not know you should cut the strings to prevent animals from getting caught in them.” Not many stop to think about the destination of all the waste from the pandemic.
Since times are unprecedented, not much information is being divulged on how to minimize the waste and prevent it from harming animals. Masks can also contain chemicals from production or even perfumes from human use. All this can end up in a vulnerable ecosystem that can’t handle the sudden change and may collapse. By properly throwing away disposable masks and cutting the strings off, you are single-handedly saving the wildlife.
Sources
“Five Things You Should Know about Disposable Masks and Plastic Pollution.” UN News, 30 July 2020, news.un.org/en/story/2020/07/1069151. Accessed 20 Jan. 2021.
“Bird Dies after Getting Tangled in Coronavirus Face Mask.” The Independent, 21 Apr. 2020, www.independent.co.uk/environment/coronavirus-face-mask-bird-death-recycle-environment-conservation-a9475341.html. Accessed 20 Jan. 2021.
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