13132596. Mask and surgical gloves on top of urban sewer grid

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13132596. Mask and surgical gloves on top of urban sewer grid

Mask and surgical gloves on top of urban sewer grid. Single-use masks, gloves and bottles of sanitizer shielding us from the spread of COVID-19 are ending up on the streets, in the seas and among wildlife. The coronavirus crisis is producing more and more waste that is either contaminated or not economical to recycle, and would be even if the recycling infrastructure was still running at full capacity. Date

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Media ID 24510780

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150520 Bags Beds Bottles Contaminated Coronava Covid Discarded Disease Equipment Garbage Global Glove Gloves Grid Gyre Illness Infection Infectious Kill Mask Masks Micro Microbeds Microplastics Oceanic Pandemic Personal Plastic Plastics Pollutant Pollutants Polluting Pollution Problem Protective Respiratory Rubber Rubbish Sanitizer Seafood Seas Surgical Syndrome Trash Urban Virus Viruses Nkwdard Sewer

EDITORS COMMENTS
From Streets to Seas: The Unfortunate Fate of COVID-19 Waste". In this photo, we witness the bizarre aftermath of our battle against the coronavirus. A mask and surgical gloves sit atop an urban sewer grid, serving as a stark reminder of the global pandemic's impact on our environment. These single-use masks, gloves, and bottles of sanitizer were once our shields against the spread of COVID-19. However, they now find themselves discarded on streets, floating in seas, and even mingling among wildlife. It seems that our efforts to protect ourselves have unintentionally created a new problem – waste contamination. As we navigate through this crisis, it becomes evident that recycling is no longer a viable solution for these contaminated items. Even if recycling facilities were operating at full capacity, their economic feasibility would be questionable due to potential contamination risks. The consequences are far-reaching; marine life finds itself entangled amidst discarded PPE while microplastics infiltrate oceanic gyres. Our fight against one infectious disease has inadvertently given rise to another pollution epidemic. So let us reflect upon this image as a symbol of both caution and responsibility. As we continue battling COVID-19 with personal protective equipment (PPE), let us also strive towards sustainable alternatives that minimize environmental harm. Only then can we ensure that future generations do not inherit a world burdened by the remnants of today's crisis.

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