You may have seen that the new DEFRA guidelines on PPE disposal asks businesses to provide extra bins for the safe disposal of PPE face masks and gloves. In response to this, First Mile have developed an easy solution to encourage employees and customers to dispose of PPE safely to prevent the spread of coronavirus, as well as littering.
Why your business needs a PPE Waste Solution
PPE stands for Personal Protective Equipment and includes items such as face masks, disposable gloves and aprons. Already face masks and coverings are compulsory on public transport and in NHS facilities throughout England, but as of 24 July, face masks must also be worn in all shops. Failing to do so may results in a fine of up to £100.
With both the new PPE disposal guidelines and the compulsory face-covering regulations coming into play, never has a COVID-secure PPE waste solution been so necessary. It should be a key consideration of any workplace risk assessment, as well as for any outlet that opens its doors to customers.
A verified PPE Waste solution ensures that PPE waste is handled separately to other waste streams and incinerated in line with the offensive waste guidelines. Please remember that PPE items must not be placed into recycling sacks or bins, and that bins should be emptied regularly to avoid them overflowing and creating litter.
PPE Waste Solutions
All-in-one PPE waste box and sack
We offer a self-contained yellow and black PPE box which comes with a PPE sack already inside. Visitors and staff can simply drop any used masks, gloves or aprons into the PPE waste box. Capacity is 50 litres with a maximum weight limit of 15kg. Once full, the box is easily fastened – without the need to touch or remove the sack after filling. And when you're ready for it to be collected, let us know and we'll safely collect it from anywhere in the country.
First Mile’s PPE waste disposal box costs £25 which includes the cost of delivery, collection from anywhere in England and safe destruction.
For businesses that only require PPE waste sacks and collections, each sack is sold at £20 per sack. This cost includes delivery, collection and destruction.
Current First Mile customers can order PPE Waste solutions via the online portal. For any new enquiries, please get in touch via customers@thefirstmile.co.uk
In need of a PPE bin for indoor use? You can buy our premium indoor PPE bin from our online shop.
DEFRA PPE Waste Guidelines
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has issued the following PPE Waste guidelines.
- Provide extra bins for staff and customers to throw away their waste face coverings and PPE used for social distancing, and any other additional waste, such as takeaway packaging and disposable tableware
- Make sure that staff and customers do not put face coverings and PPE in a recycling bin as they cannot be recycled through conventional recycling facilities
- Make sure bins are emptied often so they do not overflow and create litter
Help keep Britain and our oceans tidy…
We are likely to use over a billion masks and gloves over the coming months. Already we are seeing ‘Covid-waste’ litter our streets, parks, beaches and even oceans, damaging our environment and wildlife. And sadly thousands of latex gloves, masks and bottles of sanitiser have been found on the ocean bed floor.
According to the WWF, if just 1% of the billion masks used are disposed of incorrectly, this could mean 10 million masks a month polluting our oceans and we are already being warned that there could soon be “more masks than jellyfish”.
Please do your bit. Bin your PPE safely.
