Litter Free Dorset has launched the campaign ‘Let’s Keep Dorset Beautiful – Bin The Beast!’ to address the increase in potentially Covid-contaminated disposable gloves that are now frequently and worryingly ending up as litter on and in the nation’s streets and public spaces.

“Above all else right now we need to think of others. Littering is not only careless but spreading Covid,” said Sophie Colley from Litter Free Dorset.

Not only is there a health and hygiene risk to members of the public if these discarded gloves are contaminated with Covid-19, but there is also an environmental impact – pollution. Most disposable gloves are made of either plastic or rubber polymers (synthetic and natural) which during manufacturing undergo different processes and are combined with additional chemicals to produce the finished product of a disposable glove. Once used and discarded, these can take years to decompose and breakdown adding to plastic pollution.

This pollution detrimentally impacts on how our streets and public spaces look, is damaging to wildlife and the environment, diverts and wastes Covid response time and resources into clearing up discarded gloves and other littered items.

The Marine Conservation Society said in their tweet, “Let’s all remember to dispose of our waste properly. This type of litter is not only dangerous for our marine environment, but can be harmful to frontline waste collectors who have to pick it up.”

What you can do to help?

Lend a hand to protect both human lives and the environment by ‘Giving Covid The Finger’. Stop the drop, please don’t litter your gloves – bin the beasts instead.