Not directly related to property news but since all (or at least, most) of us are using face coverings, this initiative deserves publicity.

The Covid-19 crisis has seen a huge increase in the use of disposable face masks as the nation adapts its everyday behaviour around public safety guidelines. It is estimated that over 53 million of them are going into landfill every single day.

While the government has encouraged us to dispose of face masks via general waste bins, there has been an ever-increasing volume of PPE being discarded in public spaces – meaning there are often greater levels of litter nationwide in areas such as parks, beaches and high streets; impacting the life and leisure time of local communities, endangering wildlife and ultimately harming the health of the planet.

Disposable face masks are made from polypropylene fabric – a type of plastic. An estimated 8 million tonnes of general plastic waste is already ending up in the world’s oceans every year, and the impact of the pandemic will only increase that figure if PPE litter continues to increase.

A new scheme instore at wilko will allow customers to drop off used, disposable face masks so that they can be recycled and reused as everything from building materials to new furniture for communities in need.

150 of the home and garden retailer’s stores nationwide will have special collection bins.

Once full, these collection bins are then taken away by recycling specialists ReWorked, who together with Metrisk Ltd, Scan2Recycle and wilko are partnering to make the unique scheme – the first of its kind on the UK high street – possible.

Collected masks are shredded down into raw materials, which can be sustainably refashioned into products ranging from other safety materials for businesses, to building materials and even quality, durable public space furniture.

Wilko and its partners for this scheme hope that providing an easy way to safely dispose of used PPE will reduce litter in the community.

For more information on disposable mask recycling at wilko and which of the retailer’s stores are taking part, visit https://www.wilko.com/face-mask-recycling.