As we enter the first phase of deconfinement since this Monday, we will have to live more with the virus as we gradually resume our habits. And therefore, we will have to protect ourselves more and more.
For example, wearing a mask becomes compulsory from the age of 12 in public transport. If comfort masks are allowed, or even a scarf properly put on the nose and mouth, the government is trying to extend access to the masks as much as possible. Besides, this Tuesday, supermarkets will be able to sell surgical masks directly, while so far these masks were only available in pharmacies.
Between disposable masks, cloth masks, plastic gloves etc. What are the good uses of these new everyday objects?
Cloth masks: build up a small reserve
With the shortage of surgical masks during the coronavirus crisis, the seamstresses of the country are mobilized. Then appeared the fabric masks under all seams. Some health professionals, such as Professor Jean-Luc Gala, have even developed tutorials to make his mask.
So flowery, flashy or colorful, the fabric mask has entered our daily life. The good news is that these masks are reusable. But to be effective, certain practices are essential:
- Beat the paws : If the fabric masks are reusable, as for disposable masks, they should not be touched. Otherwise they lose their protective capacity.
- Process to follow : When you return home, before touching the mask on your face to remove it, wash your hands with soap and only after you can remove the mask, by the rubber bands. Be careful, there is no question of placing it carelessly on the living room table or any other surface. Hang it for at least 24 hours or put it in a plastic bowl with detergent and hot water. In the machine, it must be washed at 60 ° C.
- Check mask humidification : check if you have transpired in it or if you have been in front of someone who was spinning for example.
With these usage rules to put in place, it may be useful to build up a small reserve of three or four masks so that you always have one on hand.
Disposable masks and gloves: with residual waste
Among these new everyday objects there are also disposable versions and this is another puzzle.
This Tuesday, for example, supermarkets are selling disposable masks at cost. Convenient and necessary to protect yourself from covid-19. But on the side of the cleaning services we want to warn, there is no question of throwing in the street this potentially dangerous waste and we must know how to sort it.
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A first rule to observe: these objects only go in the bins of residual waste and not in bags dedicated to plastic for example. They will then be cremated.
Additional recommendation: if you are infected with covid-19, it is worth while to double the protection. Put on your masks, tissues and worn gloves in a first bag before putting it in the residual waste bin. And “always close your bags well”, explains Etienne Cornesse, spokesperson for Bruxelles Propreté.
“These are known rules, but they are all the more important today”, underlines the spokesperson.
Stop wild deposits
In normal times, it is already forbidden to throw this waste on the street. But in times of coronavirus, it is properly “unconscious”, points Etienne Cornesse. However, since the appearance of these new everyday objects, professionals have observed an increase in the illegal dumping of garbage and disposable masks and gloves thrown in the street. “It’s just putting our teams at risk”, explains the spokesperson.
According to a survey by Be Wapp in Wallonia, “one municipality in two has in fact observed an increase in illegal deposits on its territory since the announcement of the containment measures “, and the municipalities must also deal with the new waste linked to the pandemic.
Beyond even basic citizenship, leaving our waste linked to the pandemic in the street represents a risk for cleaning staff and, as Etienne Cornesse indicates, “if the collection staff becomes ill, we will no longer be able to collect the garbage”.
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