Properly dispose of PPE

While health concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic have lessened with increased vaccination numbers, many are still choosing to wear personal protective equipment (PPE) such as face coverings and shields in indoor public spaces or large crowds.

Please remember to properly dispose of any PPE that cannot be reused. Not doing so harms our environment in many ways and is unsanitary.

Solid Waste

Face coverings or other material disposed on sidewalks, rights-of-way or roads creates litter, and County litter crews would need to be deployed to clean this up. The material can expose the crew to germs or viruses, and also creates neighborhood eyesores.

Transportation & Public Works

As mentioned, litter can damage County infrastructure, including stormwater drains, which can then cause street flooding and affect our mobility. It’s also an unpleasant site to see PPE tossed on Transit vehicles, at bus stops or train stations, which requires County litter crews to clean up.

Water and Sewer

Out of sight is not out of mind – flushing PPE down the toilet can clog sewer pipes that can result in sewer overflows either in your home or in our streets. Please properly dispose of your PPE to avoid expensive emergency repairs and potential environmental impacts to our community waterways. Unclogging pipes takes hours of work, taking time away from other necessary tasks to maintain our water and sewer system.