Environmentalists have warned that a global increase in use of single-use masks, latex gloves and other protective gear employed against the novel coronavirus could exacerbate marine pollution. OceansAsia, a grassroots environmental organization based in Hong Kong, reported earlier in the month that disposable masks were found floating underwater and on seabeds, caught among ghost nets and other debris.
“A single face mask could take hundreds of years to break down into microplastic, the kind of microplastic is now being found in fish destined for human consumption, sea salt and even sea spray,” the organization said, recommending that people switch to reusable masks where possible. Japanese coasts and waters have also witnessed an apparent increase in the number of disposable masks recently, said Masahiro Takemoto, a professional diver and environmentalist.
Calling for citizens and governments to take action to protect the environment, the group, whose activities include cleaning up the Cote d’Azur, warned, “It’s only the beginning and if nothing changes it will become a real ecological disaster.” Nirmal Shah, director of Nature Seychelles, an environmental organization based in the Western Indian Ocean country, referred to a dire situation in Africa in a webinar in June. With Seychelles’ marine sanctuary largely funded by tourism — practically nonexistent in the coronavirus crisis — many guides have been left without an income and have turned to fishing, leading to an increase in poaching, he said.
Source: Japan Times
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