Face masks: Please don’t be a pandemic litter bug

You may or may not have noticed that discarded disposable paper masks are beginning to show up on some local streets and sidewalks.

Why is this happening? What is the emergency that calls for masks to be discarded like this? Is it too difficult to simply place the mask in a pocket until getting home?

Littering is visually distasteful. And there is an anti-littering law, although the chances of being caught are extremely slight.

Not littering is the right thing to do. There is also the chance that some good-hearted citizen will pick up discarded face masks and perhaps even contract COVID-19.

It’s good practice to wear a face mask in public, so thank you. Just don’t throw it on the ground.

This story was originally published August 27, 2020 at 1:51 PM with the headline "Face masks: Please don’t be a pandemic litter bug."