Over the past two years face masks have gone from being something we associate with our favourite medical dramas to a handbag essential as important as keys, phone and wallet. Some of us favour the fabric styles which can be worn over and over again (kinder on the environment but not endorsed by many airlines for travel if you’re planning any overseas adventures), and some of us have stuck to the classic disposable mask. The problem with those bad boys? They’re brilliant at protecting us but a bloody nuisance on the environment. The good news is that you can recycle them.
Whilst most local councils in the UK have been slow to implement ways we can recycle our disposable masks, there is one destination on your local high street which have made the process simple. Last year Wilko placed mask recycling bins in 149 of their stores ans they’ve just announced that the initiative will be extended to at least April 2022.
Most disposable masks are designed to be single-use and should be disposed of afterwards. The Wilko bins mean customers can literally just post their used masks and walk away, and once bins are full they’re taken by recycling specialists ReWorked, who together with Metrisk Ltd, Scan2Recycle, who break them down into raw fibres. These can then be sustainably refashioned into products ranging from other safety materials for businesses, to building materials and even quality, durable public space furniture. Lovely job.
So, once you’ve finished with your disposable mask, keep it in a safe place ready for your next venture into town for a coffee and a sneak peek in H&M. That way you can bin it in Wilko knowing it can be recycled…
Leave a Reply