EDITORIAL - Proper disposal of used masks, PPE is necessary

Consolacion Mayor Joannes Alegado plans to make it his policy to fine residents who do not properly dispose of their used face masks.

Alegado said he observed how some of his constituents just threw their discarded face masks anywhere.

“Ang uban ipanglabay bisa’g asa lang and isagol sa ubang basura and mag-pose og risgo sa katawhan. Ang mask isul-ob sa nawong, sa baba, bisa’g di positibo sa COVID, pero naa gihapoy kagaw ning mask. Atong malikayan ang pag-transmit sa kagaw through (proper) garbage disposal,” Alegado is quoted as saying in a report in this newspaper.

Now those who do may soon face penalties ranging from community service to a P500 fine.

Not so long ago we wrote about how this current health crisis will also spawn another one of entirely new nature down the road; an environmental crisis resulting from the safety equipment that has been used then discarded, that will litter our landfills and even our seas.

Because these material are designed and built to protect users from bacteria, recycling them is not advisable. Because these materials were also made to be durable, at least for the duration of their use, they also cannot easily biodegrade.

Aside from the threat to the environment, discarded used face masks and Personal Protective Equipment may also pose a health threat, as some of these may have actually been used by COVID-19 patients or exposed to droplets from them.

It has been proven that the virus that causes COVID-19 can stay alive in some surfaces for an extended period of time. While studies have not proven that humans can contract COVID-19 in this method, this is something we would rather not find out for ourselves.

With any luck, other local executives will follow the example of Alegado or, better yet, go the extra mile and make sure that used face masks, PPEs, and other hazardous materials that are produced as a result of our fight against the coronavirus are disposed of safely and properly.