The coronavirus pandemic is creating a new form of pollution PPE pollution.
As masks, gloves and other single-use items become part of everyday attire, they're also becoming everyday litter threatening to contaminate oceans and damage wildlife around the world.
While protective gear is often made of plastic, experts warn these materials should be thrown away, not recycled and definitely not dumped on the streets.
"We definitely don't want them in the gutters because then they end up in our creeks and out in the ocean where animals can get to them and we definitely want to keep them away from the wildlife."
It's not just a threat to the environment.
It's also a health hazard to the essential workers responsible for picking up trash and sifting through recycled items.
"It's littering but, but, something that's more dangerous than littering, maybe. You know, for the people, the sanitation workers that have to deal with it it's just disrespectful."
Gloves are among the most commonly littered PPE showing up in the streets. But health experts say many people aren't even wearing them properly, which defeats their purpose.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, wearing gloves to places like the grocery store doesn't give you full protection against Covid-19.
Gloves can give you a false sense of security, leading you to touching your face and causing self-contamination.
If you do choose to wear gloves, health care workers recommend throwing them away after each use.
"Sanitize them before you take them off and dispose of them in the trash. Don't leave them on the ground."
You can, however, reuse certain face masks.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, unless you are high risk, it's best to wear a cloth face covering and wash it after each use.
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