Striking a balance. Plastic waste

[Thepigeonsarecoming]

www.independent.co.uk/news/coronavirus-masks-gloves-oceans-pollution-waste-a9469471.html

Of course we all need to save human lives. However we also need to look at the safe disposal of things like single use plastic gloves being used by the general public

I walked my dog today and saw 5 discarded ‘blue plastic’ individual gloves on the floor on the way

I don’t know a good alternative to them or how we make it better for the ecosystem. Any ideas?

[Thepigeonsarecoming]

Ok that’s a no then www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.bbc.com/news/amp/in-pictures-52188627

[JustVisiting9]

I think people are getting carried away with wearing single use gloves. For most members of the public, they are unnecessary.

But if people are going to use them, they really need to put them in the bin when used, rather than throw them on the floor.

[pocketem]

Oh FFS. Gloves aren't a major source of plastic waste. Hospital gloves are usually latex in any case. Now is not the time for envirofascism. Thousands of people are dying every day

[TheLovleyChebbyMcGee]

Single use gloves by the general public are not necessary. Just wash you hands!!

Most hospitals now use nitrile gloves as they irritate hands less and cause less allergies. Gloves are still very necessary in hospitals I'm afraid. I work in a lab and cringe at the amount of plastic waste that we produce, but there isn't really an alternative!

[BarbaraofSeville]

It's unlikely that most members of the public using PPE are wearing it effectively, because if you don't do it correctly it doesn't provide much protection and it's likely to induce a false sense of security.

Plus littering is inexcusable. If you produce waste, put it in the bin FFS, even if you have to take it home with you.

It's like some people have a pathological need to be a twat and, denied the ability to throw fast food wrappers all over the place, they've taken to dropping a trail of used gloves and masks.

[Floatyboat]

Anyone wearing plastic gloves outside in public is most likely a blinkered moron. Asking them to be in any way responsible in how they dispose of them is unrealistic.

[Thepigeonsarecoming]

@pocketem I don’t think I’m calling for “envirofascism”. I’m talking about the general public not health care professionals. Plus disposing of them rather than throwing them on the ground. Even if they’re latex and biodegradable that will take a few months at least. In the meantime they’re just litter for animals to investigate

[goshdarnitjanet]

Oh FFS. Gloves aren't a major source of plastic waste. Hospital gloves are usually latex in any case. Now is not the time for envirofascism. Thousands of people are dying every day

I think that more than one thing can be thought about at one time. Just because people are dying does not give you a free pass to litter.
Locally I have seen discarded gloves all over the place especially around trolley bays and petrol pumps and it is selfish and disgusting. A local supermarket said people had been leaving them in baskets. Its a shame because on the other hand it has been lovely to not see the usual mcdonalds and other takeaway packets littering the streets. I could lay a bet that only last month the same people were jumping on the single use plastic bandwagon.
Or maybe I am wrong and "because virus" means that we don't have to act like we live in a society and can expect others to pick up our rubbish.

[Thepigeonsarecoming]

@goshdarnitjanet

Or maybe I am wrong and "because virus" means that we don't have to act like we live in a society and can expect others to pick up our rubbish

I think some things people act like if your only one concern isn’t the Coronovirus then you’re somehow being selfish