During the Coronavirus pandemic, disposable gloves have become a part of our attire when we leave our homes to get our essential needs.
They are used to keep our hands clean but recently, it’s become concerning as they are being thrown away in parking lots and streets of South Florida.
Disposable gloves are being littered all over shopping centers and all over the streets of Miami.
Maria Algarra is the founder of Clean This Beach Up, an environmental organization that created #TheGloveChallenge.
“Once we started hearing about the Coronavirus I said, ‘this is going to be bad’. We’re going to run into a lot of medical waste and we’re going to run into a lot of new plastics. People have doubled their single-use plastic usage,” said Algarra
Algarra also said that she received over 600 pictures via #TheGloveChallenge and stated that the total count of gloves found was 1,030.
The challenge is meant to raise awareness, not for you to pick up the gloves.
Here’s how you can properly throw away personal protection equipment.
“Make sure that they place their used gloves, their mask, or sanitizing wipe in the closest trash receptacle. In most grocery stores, pharmacy, or shopping center there is a lined container and they can just drop those items in the garbage can. What I recommend and what I’m doing in my own personal life is have a shopping bag, Publix bag, or drugstore bag and I just keep in the car like a little litter bag. If you take off your gloves, masks, or you have extra wipes, you can put those used items into that bag. When you get home, you can tie it up and put it in your regular garbage can,” said Gayle Love, Senior Division Director of Solid Waste Management in Miami-Dade.
Love added that any items used in response to the COVID-19 pandemic should not be placed in a recyclable container.
Miami-Dade County wants you know that if a law enforcement sees you dropping gloves, masks, or wipes on the ground they can fine you for littering and the fine will cost $260.
