Published on 28 April 2020

Keeping PPE out of landfill

As many businesses move back into action under Level 3 it is important to ask ourselves, do we need Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) to stay safe, and if we do can we use reusable options. 

The outbreak of COVID 19 has seen a massive return to single-use PPE and for good reason, we need to protect our frontline essential workers, people like our doctors, police officers and prison staff. 

Susie Robertson, Community Manager at Sustainability Trust, admits she has found the amount of differing information out there about the use of masks and gloves overwhelming.  In the end, she says “it comes down to following the advice of our government and in particular the Ministry for Health.  The basics of which are that you do not need PPE unless you are a frontline health worker and you are maintaining physical distancing, washing your hands often, using good cough etiquette and don’t come into work if you are sick.”

It can feel scary out there as we adjust to being back at work, but the best way to stay safe is to stay two metres away from people and wash your hands thoroughly, and regularly, with soap and water.

Using PPE unnecessarily is going to reduce supply for our essential workers and result in unnecessary waste going to landfill. If you did not wear PPE prior to lockdown then you probably don’t need to wear it now.  

If you personally feel safer wearing gloves and a mask then feel free to do so but consider using reusable items. Dr Sarah Kelly, a registered dentist who promotes sustainability in dentistry, says reusable PPE has advantages, “The good thing about reusable PPE is that it doesn’t give people a false sense of safety; having good fitting high-quality PPE that can be cleaned after each patient is something we need to talk about.” Here are her tips for reusables: 

• Consider a cool cloth mask like the organic ones being sold by Little Yellow Bird or make one yourself;

• Gardening or washing up gloves are options for reusable gloves; 

• Keep a laundry bag for putting items in as soon as they have been used;

• Wash items at 90 degrees celsius and dry thoroughly before reusing; 

• Also, make sure you are still washing your hands often.

Stay safe, stay sustainable and stay away from the Coruba virus.