Disposable PPE Trashes Wildlife

As the coronavirus pandemic begins to recede  … millions of disposable masks and gloves that kept people safe are beginning to surface as trash. And are not so safe for wildlife. Two Dutch researchers -- biologists Liselotte Rambonnet  and Auke-Florian Hiemstra -- tell us how wildlife and domestic animals are getting entangled in, and ingesting the refuse -- and it’s happening all over the globe. “It’s really an enormous problem. And actually billions and billions of people are actually using these masks and gloves. And if just one percent of those lose their face masks, it’s already quite an environmental disaster.” (14) Plus Alice Volpitta, Blue Water Baltimore Harbor Waterkeeper, updates us on the health of local streams. Links: The Effects of COVID-19 Litter on Animal Life paper, research overview, report sightings of pandemic trash and wildlife at CovidLitter.com, Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Blue Water Baltimore, BWB volunteering, Herring Run Nursery for native plants.Do you have a question or comment about a show or a story idea to pitch? Contact On the Record at: Senior Supervising Producer, Maureen Harvie she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1903 Senior Producer, Melissa Gerr she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1157 Producer Sam Bermas-Dawes he/him/his [email protected] 410-235-1472