Key Takeaways:
- Disposable masks and gloves helped people stay safe during the COVID-19 epidemic, but they also hurt wildlife.
- The program, according to Mayor Charlie Clark of Saskatoon, is about bringing people together to clean up the city.
During the COVID-19 epidemic, disposable masks and gloves helped people keep safe but also harmed wildlife.
“Since the pandemic began, we’ve generated almost 7,000 tonnes of rubbish per day, and a lot of it hasn’t made it to the landfill,” stated Jan Shadick, executive director of Living Sky Wildlife Rehabilitation.
Personal protection equipment has blown into parks and riverbanks, tangles in bird nests, and comes into contact with wildlife, according to Shadick.
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During an autopsy, Living Sky personnel may also notice plastic particles in an animal’s stomach.
A mask can get wrapped around an animal’s neck, but Shadick claims it can be avoided.
“We usually recommend that you clip them, so they don’t get trapped on the animal, just as we used to do with those six-pack pop containers.”
The Meewasin Valley Authority (MVA) recently introduced a new category to their cleanup campaign for “most masks collected.”
CEO Andrea Lafond stated, “This is the first year we’ve counted masks.”
“We’ve never counted masks before, although they’ve been taken up in large quantities.”
Last year, the cleanup program collected 10,000 pounds of trash and recycling.
According to Saskatoon Mayor Charlie Clark, the program is about bringing people together to clean up the city.
“Isn’t it enormous? It would be quite difficult for the city or Meewasin to do so on our own.”
The cleanup campaign will take place from April 22 to May 30, with prizes awarded to those who collect the most trash.
Source: CTV News
