ADVERTISEMENT

'This is absolutely shameful': Workers are forced to clean up discarded used gloves and masks as shoppers litter in shopping carts and parking lots across America

Shoppers are discarding used gloves, masks, and wipes in the parking lots of retail stores.

Grocery store gloves
  • "The parking lots are littered with gloves constantly, every day," said an employee of a California Safeway store. "Who knows how long the virus lasts on these gloves. It's maddening."
  • Some local governments and law enforcement agencies are now threatening to fine people caught discarding their gloves and masks on the ground.
  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories .
ADVERTISEMENT

Retailers are facing a rampant problem with shoppers discarding gloves, masks, and wipes in their parking lots and empty shopping carts amid the coronavirus pandemic.

"The parking lots are littered with gloves constantly, every day," said Linda St. Denis, who works at a Safeway grocery store in California. "Who knows how long the virus lasts on these gloves. It's maddening."

Shoppers across the US are using the protective gear while they purchase groceries and other goods, then tossing the used items on the ground when they exit the store.

ADVERTISEMENT

St. Denis said her Safeway store's courtesy clerks, whose duties include bagging groceries and cleaning bathrooms, must now clean up the discarded gear.

Research suggests that live coronavirus particles can live on a surface for anywhere between three hours and three days. This means that people cleaning up the disposed gloves and masks could come into contact with virus particles if the person wearing them was infected.

Retail workers and others have been complaining about this issue for weeks and sharing photos on social media of gloves, masks, and cleaning gear littering parking lots.

Ann Terri recently shared a photo on Facebook of a patch of grass near an Aldi store in Wallingford, Connecticut, that was covered in discarded gloves.

ADVERTISEMENT

"This is the hill next to Aldi in Wallingford covered in used rubber gloves and trash," she wrote. "This is absolutely shameful."

In response to the growing problem, some local governments and law enforcement agencies have been urging residents to stop throwing their gloves on the ground and to use trash bins instead.

The Bellingham, Massachusetts, Board of Health has said it plans to visit stores frequently and fine anyone fails to properly discard protective gear.

Law enforcement officials in Ottawa, Canada, have threatened $365 fines to anyone who tosses medical gloves and masks on the ground, calling it a health risk.

Some grocery stores have tried to mitigate the problem by designating certain trash bins outside stores for gloves and masks.

ADVERTISEMENT

As the spread of the coronavirus continues, the problem may only continue to worsen, barring a widespread effort to ban the surge in littering.

See Also:

FOLLOW BUSINESS INSIDER AFRICA

Unblock notifications in browser settings.
ADVERTISEMENT

Recommended articles

Egypt, Nigeria, and South Africa ranked as Africa's most polluted countries in new report

Egypt, Nigeria, and South Africa ranked as Africa's most polluted countries in new report

10 African countries with the lowest life expectancy according to the World Bank

10 African countries with the lowest life expectancy according to the World Bank

Kenyan women are more obese than their men - here’s why

Kenyan women are more obese than their men - here’s why

Africa’s richest man Dangote stands between Europe and $17 billion in revenue

Africa’s richest man Dangote stands between Europe and $17 billion in revenue

After months of exchanging blows, Kenya and Uganda takes steps towards resolution

After months of exchanging blows, Kenya and Uganda takes steps towards resolution

Africa's first black billionaire could join $2.9 billion Vivendi bid for MultiChoice

Africa's first black billionaire could join $2.9 billion Vivendi bid for MultiChoice

10 most dangerous African countries in 2024

10 most dangerous African countries in 2024

Russia’s nuclear influence expands further north of Africa

Russia’s nuclear influence expands further north of Africa

Navigating the future: How AI transforms selling on Amazon

Navigating the future: How AI transforms selling on Amazon

ADVERTISEMENT