Brent Council: discarded facemasks can go in litter bins

All within a few yards of the petrol station on Blackbird Hill

You can hardly not have noticed the new littering in Brent consisting of 'disposable' face masks, unfortunately disposed of by throwing them on pavements or grass verges.  Many seem to be the cheap version where the elastic is glued, rather than sewn, on to the fabric.

I received a press release recently from  a waste disposal company describing the waste as 'hazardous' and a threat to public health as well as the environment.  They offered 'pop-up' PPE disposal bins in town centres.

I contacted Brent Council noting that with the requirement for face coverings on public transport the litttering was likely to increase. They responded:

The advice of our Director of Public Health and our waste collection contractors is that no special or clinical waste collection arrangement is necessary and that these items can be placed in normal litter bins or safely collected by street cleaners if dropped on the ground.