Disposable personal protective equipment (PPE) that has been accumulating around the country over the past weeks is posing a major threat to the environment. Irresponsibly disposed of single-use face masks and gloves used by the general public can already be seen around, as there are no proper instructions given to separate these from the general garbage that is collected from homes. “The monsoon rains are expected in a few weeks and all these single-use face masks and gloves that are tossed in the garbage can get washed away through the waterways and end up at the shoreline of the country,” Marine Environment Protection Authority (MEPA) Director General Dr. Terney Pradeep Kumara opined. He added that Sri Lanka is already considered to be one of the biggest ocean polluters, with its marine life facing threats due to the increasing amount of microplastics present in the seawaters. Dr. Kumara said that clinical waste, especially face masks, gloves, toilet paper, and hand sanitiser bottles, which are most often made of plastic, need to be disposed of in a responsible manner. “We must ensure that this type of waste does not find its way to the water system as it would gravely endanger the marine life of the country. If not, there is a high probability that one day, we might be ingesting these contaminants when we consume fish products,” he noted. If we are to look at the material used to manufacture surgical face masks, the non-woven fabrics are often made from plastics like polypropylene. Polystyrene, polycarbonate, polyethylene, and/or polyester too are used to make face masks. – Sarah Hannan