Coronavirus PPE litter 'widespread', says Keep Wales Tidy

Coronavirus has led to an increase in litter including face masks and disposable gloves, according to Keep Wales Tidy.

At the start of lockdown, the charity saw a decrease in litter such as food packaging and cigarette ends.

But campaigners say there has been a "significant and widespread increase in personal protective equipment being littered all over the country".

Volunteer groups said it was "very disappointing".

Jemma Bere, policy and research manager for Keep Wales Tidy, said the masks and disposable gloves found on pavements and parks across Wales were a danger to wildlife and public health.

'Contamination risk'

"We have noticed a significant and widespread increase in personal protective equipment being littered all over the country. So that's gloves and masks," she said.

"They are not only an environmental hazard, because they quite often contain plastic which is really damaging to our wildlife and our water systems, but they also pose a particular contamination risk.

"And so people maybe who would normally go and pick up litter on their daily walk are obviously avoiding doing so."

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Dave King, a member of Cardiff Rivers Group and Keep Grangetown Tidy, said despite optimism that people would take better care of their local environment, the increase in PPE-related litter was "very disappointing".

"As people were using disposable gloves and masks, we were finding more and more of that, particularly in the streets. People seem to be using it then just drop it," he said.

"There's a great deal of talk about a new start for everybody, that everyone was getting more in tune with nature. Personally I was hopeful that we would start seeing people respecting where they're living a bit more and a drop-off in litter. I haven't seen that."