NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Conservation groups worry increased use of single-use protective gear, like disposable masks and gloves, will create more litter and pollution in Tennessee's waterways.
On Sunday, Tennessee Riverkeeper held a river clean-up event on the Cumberland River. As the boat left the dock for the river, volunteers prepared to pick up hundreds of pounds of trash, but organizers said they expected to see something new on the river as well.
"We're starting to find so many masks and so many gloves," David Whiteside said. Whiteside is the founder of Tennessee Riverkeeper.
As COVID-19 continues to spread, more people are using single-use items to stay safe, like disposable masks and gloves. But the safety measures also mean more waste working its way to the river.
"They flow from the streets into the storm drains, into the creeks and then into the river," Whiteside said. "And we know that plastic is breaking down, it's getting into fish and it's getting into our bodies, that's a problem."
So now conservation groups are urging people to protect the area's waterways as they protect themselves from the virus.
"If you have to use a single use mask or a disposable mask or disposable gloves, make sure you put them in the trash," Whiteside said. "We need to figure out ways in which we can protect ourselves and protect our health, without making the plastic problem worse decades and years down the road."
Whiteside also suggested using reusable masks or gloves made of cloth.
During Sunday's Cumberland River clean-up event, Whiteside said the group picked up 2,000 pounds of trash, including a lacrosse goal and a set of bleachers.
