Campaign underway to reduce use of disposable face masks and opt for reusable
Video by ITV News reporter Mike Pearse
A new campaign is underway to reduce the use of disposable face masks.
Environmental campaigners say a record 19 billion will be used in the UK this year with potentially serious consequences.
For many health workers there is currently no alternative, but others are being asked to use reusable ones where they can.
Adrian Foster-Fletcher from Newbury Friends of the Earth says the masks take years to break down.
He says: "These are made from polypropylene. If Anne Boleyn had worn one it would only have broken down now. The problem is they are around for 450 years. It is an environmental hazard we have to live with for generations."
What 19.2 billion single use face masks in numbers looks like (statistics by Tradewaste.co.uk):
52,602,739 a day
1,578,082,191 a month
For wildlife campaigners there is growing concern for the impact disposable masks have on the environment.
The issue is that birds and other animals can get caught up in the ear straps resulting in major distress or death.
One swan sanctuary in Windsor says it is a real concern.
Cindy Smulders from Swan Lifeline says: "It can get stuck around the neck and affect the eating, breathing and can get stuck down the throat as well. There is nothing good that can come from a swan getting tangled up in a disposable face mask. People have enjoyed the countryside and rivers over these months so it would be a real shame if we ruin what we have been enjoying."
For refuse and recycling companies it is also an issue as the masks cannot be recycled.
Tim Duret from Veolia says: "We have people picking through the waste. It can put our staff in contact with these items. We prefer to spread the message not to put them into the recycling bin."
The Government says the key thing is to wear masks when required but say we should also consider the environment.