Not masking the problem

THE pandemic has made face masks quite the everyday wear. Unfortunately, due to their one-off use, they have also become quite the everyday trash.

Waste experts previously estimated that at least 10 million single-use face masks are used and discarded daily in the country. Globally, the Covid-19 pandemic is estimated to generate up to 7,200 tonnes of medical waste every day, much of which is disposable masks.