Face masks have been the most wanted accessory in the past year. We can all remember a couple of months ago when disposable mask were hard to find.
Now one might even spot them around town – not on peoples’ faces but on the ground. Grocery stores, clinics, parks … anywhere you can think of, these disposable masks seem to be there.
They can even be found next to the litter on the ground. Which can cause many to feel grossed out.
“I think about how I should be picking that up, but I’m not touching that, I’m sorry” said Mara Stuhr.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention said the risk of catching coronavirus from discarded masks is minimal.
Jane interim, executive director of the Office of Health Security at the University Nebraska at Omaha, advised individuals to get in contact with property managers, who can then handle disposing of the masks.
Stuhr, who is an Omaha resident, said she see discarded masks all around town – especially when she goes to the grocery store.
“[It makes me] a little angry because people should be able to throw them in the trash,” said Kyle Hardy.
Hardy uses a reusable mask when possible because she is aware of the time it takes a disposable mask to decompose.
According to Waste Free Ocean, it takes a disposable mask about 450 years to decompose.
