PCD says don’t throw away used masks in water bottles after infections linked to bottles

Don’t discard your used face masks in water bottles is the advice the Pollution Control Department wants the public to heed after 20 people tested positive for Covid in Nakhon Ratchasima/Kora, a northeastern Thai province.

The department says the infections stem from virus ridden water bottles.

Atthapol Charoenchansa, the PCD director general, says a plethora of face masks have been worn throughout the pandemic… Also, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment has released a set of guidelines for how to properly dispose of used face masks.

Atthapol says some people have been inserting face masks into water bottles under the belief that it would be safer for the rubbish collections. He says this is a misunderstanding. Attaphol adds that if the bottles are not incinerated, rubbish collectors have to extract the used masks from the bottles, which puts them at risk of getting Covid.

Reportedly, a 73 year old who collects and sells recyclable waste was infected with Covid after coming in contract with such a plastic bottle that had been contaminated with Covid. According to Thai media, the man then spread Covid to 20 other people, including his family and neighbours.

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SOURCE: Bangkok Post