Pandemic face masks could harm wildlife for years to come
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Pandemic face masks could harm wildlife for years to come
By James Ashworth
The protective equipment that kept us safe from COVID-19 could pose a lethal threat to nature.
While no longer as prevalent as they once were, the billions of face masks and gloves that were produced during the pandemic are making plastic pollution an ever-greater issue.
The impacts of COVID-19 go far beyond the disease itself, and are set to stay with us for centuries to come.
A study using community science observations from around the world found that disposable face masks and plastic gloves could pose an ongoing risk to wildlife for tens if not hundreds of years. Entanglements were one of the most prevalent threats, with some animals being killed after becoming caught in the plastic debris.
Dr Alex Bond, the Principal Curator and Curator in Charge of Birds at the Museum, was a co-author on the paper.
‘Ultimately, we really don’t know how big a problem pandemic waste could be,’ Alex says. ‘As many areas...
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