A Jewish medical student is recycling hundreds of plastic gloves used during the coronavirus pandemic.   Leora Marcus from Hampstead Garden Suburb, 20, launched an initiative during lockdown after noticing an increase in the use of plastic.   ‘I try my best to do things for the environment in my everyday life” she said, but due to Covid-19, “the amount of plastic is going to massively increase because of gloves and PPE” (personal protective equipment).   “I just thought, let me see if I can find a way to recycle them or reuse them”.   She came across a company called TerraCycle which recycles plastic gloves, and got to work collecting from across the community.   The second year University of Nottingham medicine student said: “When I started like living on my own, I realised how much plastic there is in everyday life, and in my labs we would go through so much [plastic] unnecessarily. So it used to frustrate me quite a lot.”   Since I’ve been back at home during lockdown, I’ve had nothing to do, nothing to distract me. I thought might be a good time to try and do something more positive for the environment.”   Explaining how it works, she says gloves are put in a bag and be left at the bottom of a person’s driveway “and I go around wearing my own PPE to collect them.”   Usually, I try my best to go cycling or walking, so not to increase my own carbon footprint.  I pick them up and I have like a large box where I store them. Once stock has got high enough, I either send them to a drop off point, then they send it to TerraCycle.”   She says that “in the next few days, my house will become a drop-off point” too.   The former Hasmonean student, who attends the Central Square minyan, has gathered a crack team of volunteers collecting across north London, who have so far collected more than 300 gloves, including in areas such as Finchley, Cockfosters Edgware and Golders Green.   Find Leora’s initiative on Facebook here.

Millions of disposable face masks have been used since the coronavirus pandemic began—and it feels like half of them somehow ended up on the sidewalk outside my apartment. My block isn't the only one strewn with COVID trash: Photos circulating the internet show mask and glove litter in the U.S. and around the world, on land and at sea.   In addition to being a potential carrier of the virus, these castaways could pose a threat to wildlife and natural ecosystems. "Like other plastic pollution, littering these items creates environmental and health hazards," Beth Porter, a waste expert and author of Reduce, Reuse, Reimagine: Sorting Out the Recycling System, tells mbg. So, we know that used PPE doesn't belong on the ground—but where does it belong? Here are a few ways to dispose of it safely and sustainably.  

How to get rid of used PPE.

  The World Health Organization recommends throwing single-use masks and gloves into the garbage bin immediately after use. But know if you throw it on top of a sidewalk trash can with no lid, it could blow away onto the street a minute later. "It is important that the container is properly closed after the mask is deposited to avoid masks being blown by the wind and littering street corners or wildlife habitats," explains Sue Kauffman, North American PR manager for TerraCycle, a waste management and recycling company. If you can, wait until you get to a trash can that is empty or has a lid before disposing of your PPE, or just keep it on until you're inside. And this may seem obvious, but considering the recent water system clogs in Philadelphia and El Paso, it bears repeating: Don't try to flush used PPE down the toilet. Just don't.   Well-meaning folks might wonder if it's OK to put masks and gloves in the blue bin since it looks like it could be made of a recyclable material. The answer to that one is no since it could pose a health risk to recycling workers (hundreds of whom have already gotten sick since the pandemic began). "There is the fear that PPE exposed to COVID-19 could infect the front-line waste management workers who may not be properly outfitted or take the necessary precautions to handle potentially hazardous waste," explains Porter. Even in non-pandemic times, surgical masks and latex gloves likely wouldn't be accepted by your local recycling system because they can clog the machinery that sorts materials, similar to how plastic bags do.  

One way to get your PPE recycled.

  If you feel a tinge of eco-guilt about the masks or gloves you're throwing in the trash, consider buying or making reusable cloth options instead. Just be sure to wash them regularly after use.   And if you do have to use the disposable stuff, Kauffman's company TerraCycle offers a PPE zero-waste box that essentially works like a recycling bin for used safety equipment and protective gear. It comes with a prepaid return label so after you fill the box with disposable gloves, dust masks, garments, hairnets, beardnets, earplugs, and safety glasses, you can send it back to their HQ for processing. From there, "the collected waste is mechanically and/or manually separated into fibers and plastics," explains Kauffman. "The fibers, such as paper or wood-based products, are recycled or composted. The plastics undergo extrusion and pelletization to be molded into new recycled plastic products." It's a complicated and expensive process, so these boxes cost a pretty penny (a small one comes in at $148). To offset the cost, consider reaching out to your local grocery stores or retailers to see if they'd consider stocking one in their space for the whole community to access.   Unfortunately, littered PPE isn't the only unsustainable byproduct of COVID-19. As stores, bars, and restaurants continue to open back up for takeaway service, we're probably only going to start seeing more plastic packaging sitting around—lots of which is destined for landfill. "An estimated 108 local governments have temporarily suspended curbside recycling in some form, although at least 41 of these have since reopened," says Porter. As we start to reemerge from social isolation, let's make it gentler on the earth by following local recycling rules, cleaning up after outdoor gatherings, and keeping things low-waste whenever possible.

This World Environment Day, the global community is asked to take urgent action to halt the destruction of biodiversity and rethink humanity’s relationship with nature. In the wake of COVID-19, the planet needs protection from the surge of improperly discarded personal protective equipment (PPE) that is leaking into marine environments and posing serious hazards to ocean wildlife.   TerraCycle’s Zero Waste Boxes provide a convenient recycling solution for all types of single-use PPE, which are not recyclable through conventional recycling facilities. When placed in public spaces such as grocery stores, big-box stores and parks, Zero Waste Boxes encourage people to responsibly dispose of their protective gear instead of tossing items on the ground.   To recycle PPE waste, TerraCycle offers the following Zero Waste Boxes:  

• Safety Equipment and Protective Gear Zero Waste Boxes – to recycle disposable safety gear including garments, gloves, masks and safety glasses.
• Disposable Garments Zero Waste Box – to recycle chemical protection suits, flame resistant suits, and smocks.
• Disposable Gloves Zero Waste Box – to recycle vinyl, nitrile, and latex gloves.
• Disposable Masks Zero Waste Box – to recycle surgical and industrial face masks.

  For large-scale recycling solutions, TerraCycle offers the following Zero Waste Pallets:  

• Safety Equipment and Protective Gear Zero Waste Pallet
• Disposable Garments Zero Waste Pallet
• Disposable Gloves Zero Waste Pallet

  When full, the boxes can be returned to TerraCycle for processing and the collected waste will be cleaned, melted and remolded to make new products.   TerraCycle, the world’s leader in the collection and repurposing of complex waste streams, created the Zero Waste Box program to provide solutions for difficult-to-recycle waste that cannot be recycled through TerraCycle’s brand-sponsored, national recycling programs or via standard municipal recycling.   All Zero Waste Boxes are sealed while in transit, limiting any possibility of contamination. The boxes travel for up to a week before they are received at TerraCycle facilities, where additional safety precautions are taken in accordance with CDC recommendations. The Zero Waste Box program does not accept medical waste or biohazardous materials.   “During this time of uncertainty, our Zero Waste Box program provides easy solutions for keeping waste out of landfills and paving the way for a greener future,” says Tom Szaky, CEO and founder of TerraCycle. “Our goal is for all consumers to engage with TerraCycle recycling programs in a safe manner.”   TerraCycle works with major manufacturers and retailers to recycle products and packaging that would normally be thrown away. To learn more about TerraCycle and its innovative recycling solutions, visit www.terracycle.com.  

This World Environment Day, the global community is asked to take urgent action to halt the destruction of biodiversity and rethink humanity's relationship with nature. In the wake of COVID-19, the planet needs protection from the surge of improperly discarded personal protective equipment (PPE) that is leaking into marine environments and posing serious hazards to ocean wildlife.   TerraCycle's Zero Waste Boxes provide a recycling solution for all types of single-use PPE, which are not recyclable through conventional recycling facilities. When placed in public spaces such as grocery stores, big-box stores and parks, Zero Waste Boxes encourage people to responsibly dispose of their protective gear instead of tossing items on the ground.   To recycle PPE waste, TerraCycle offers the following Zero Waste Boxes:

• Safety Equipment and Protective Gear Zero Waste Boxes - to recycle disposable safety gear including garments, gloves, masks and safety glasses.
• Disposable Garments Zero Waste Box - to recycle chemical protection suits, flame resistant suits, and smocks.
• Disposable Gloves Zero Waste Box - to recycle vinyl, nitrile, and latex gloves.
• Disposable Masks Zero Waste Box - to recycle surgical and industrial face masks.

  For large-scale recycling solutions, TerraCycle offers the following Zero Waste Pallets:

• Safety Equipment and Protective Gear Zero Waste Pallet
• Disposable Garments Zero Waste Pallet
• Disposable Gloves Zero Waste Pallet

When full, the boxes can be returned to TerraCycle for processing and the collected waste will be cleaned, melted and remolded to make new products. TerraCycle created the Zero Waste Box program to provide solutions for difficult-to-recycle waste that cannot be recycled through TerraCycle's national recycling programs or via standard municipal recycling. All Zero Waste Boxes are sealed while in transit, limiting any possibility of contamination. The boxes travel for up to a week before they are received at TerraCycle facilities, where additional safety precautions are taken in accordance with CDC recommendations. The Zero Waste Box program does not accept medical waste or biohazardous materials. "During this time of uncertainty, our Zero Waste Box program provides easy solutions for keeping waste out of landfills and paving the way for a greener future," says Tom Szaky, CEO and founder of TerraCycle. "Our goal is for all consumers to engage with TerraCycle recycling programs in a safe manner."

In the wake of COVID-19, the planet needs protection from the surge of improperly discarded personal protective equipment (PPE) that is leaking into marine environments and posing serious hazards to ocean wildlife. TerraCycle’s Zero Waste Boxes provide a convenient recycling solution for all types of single-use PPE, which are not recyclable through conventional recycling facilities. When placed in public spaces such as grocery stores, big-box stores and parks, Zero Waste Boxes encourage people to responsibly dispose of their protective gear instead of tossing items on the ground.   To recycle PPE waste, TerraCycle offers the following Zero Waste Boxes:  

• Safety Equipment and Protective Gear Zero Waste Boxes – to recycle disposable safety gear including garments, gloves, masks and safety glasses.
• Disposable Garments Zero Waste Box – to recycle chemical protection suits, flame resistant suits, and smocks.
• Disposable Gloves Zero Waste Box – to recycle vinyl, nitrile, and latex gloves.
• Disposable Masks Zero Waste Box – to recycle surgical and industrial face masks.

  For large-scale recycling solutions, TerraCycle offers the following Zero Waste Pallets:  

• Safety Equipment and Protective Gear Zero Waste Pallet
• Disposable Garments Zero Waste Pallet
• Disposable Gloves Zero Waste Pallet

  When full, the boxes can be returned to TerraCycle for processing and the collected waste will be cleaned, melted and remolded to make new products. TerraCycle, the world’s leader in the collection and repurposing of complex waste streams, created the Zero Waste Box program to provide solutions for difficult-to-recycle waste that cannot be recycled through TerraCycle’s brand-sponsored, national recycling programs or via standard municipal recycling.   All Zero Waste Boxes are sealed while in transit, limiting any possibility of contamination. The boxes travel for up to a week before they are received at TerraCycle facilities, where additional safety precautions are taken in accordance with CDC recommendations. The Zero Waste Box program does not accept medical waste or biohazardous materials. “During this time of uncertainty, our Zero Waste Box program provides easy solutions for keeping waste out of landfills and paving the way for a greener future,” says Tom Szaky, CEO and founder of TerraCycle. “Our goal is for all consumers to engage with TerraCycle recycling programs in a safe manner.”  

For more information, visit www.terracycle.com.