Both the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) say consistent handwashing is far more valuable than wearing protective gloves. Still, the coronavirus can live for several days on surfaces. You can’t be too safe, right?
If you choose to wear them, please throw your disposable, one-time use gloves in the trash. Another option is to keep plastic bags in your car or on your person; when done with your gloves, toss them into the bags, then throw the bags into a “regular” garbage bin.
Here’s why:
- Gloves are like any surface. If they are contaminated with coronavirus, they become a public health concern to essential workers who dispose of them or small children who often pick things up off of the ground, despite their parents’ eagle eyes.
- Improperly disposed gloves can end up in storm drains, contaminating our local water source or our lake or rivers, causing environmental risks.
- Disposing of blue gloves on public ways in Chicago can garner a fine of $150 to $1500 per offense.
For the entire month of April, BAPA is encouraging residents to participate in Clean and Green efforts to beautify the community. Due to the quarantine, the usual communal clean up gatherings are not possible, but simple actions, like proper disposal of protective masks and gloves, are. Remember, disposable blue gloves are not recyclable, so please do not throw them into recycle bins.
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