Dear Editor: Does gov’t have plan to dispose of Covid masks? My 13-yr-old daughter wants to know

“To make me stop sipping my coffee, she came closer, made eye contact and asked again:

“What is in place to either recycle, crush or even collect used face masks, shields, vials (that held vaccines), one-use plastic containers for sanitisers and other detergents?”

The following Letter to the Editor on the government’s plans for disposing of Covid-19 equipment was submitted to Wired868 by Lionel Furley of San Fernando:

Photo: Covid-19 masks.
(via iStock)

I have a 13-year-old granddaughter—January born—with a made-up name. Both parents join part of their first names to give her an original one. But she bright. Which means given her common-sense, natural inquisitive personality and pursuance of any goal, she can be a success.

So the question that she threw at me is one of many that I would want her generation to boldly, loudly and repeatedly ask the pseudo-powers that be: our politicians. 

The topic was about the Covid-19 pandemic but not related to the medical or scientific aspect of it. Any one of us could get the same info off the internet. To cut a short story shorter, here is what I ask on behalf of ‘Generation Nexx’:

‘What is the concrete plan from our illustrious government in dealing with the looming collateral waste from Covid?’ 

To make me stop sipping my coffee, she came closer, made eye contact and asked again:

‘What is in place to either recycle, crush or even collect used face masks, shields, vials (that held vaccines), one-use plastic containers for sanitisers and other detergents?’

Photo: Masked police officers conduct a traffic exercise.
(via TTPS)

With the naked eye, this question is so bland and innocent that it should not be asked at all. No government representative has thought it important enough to address an issue that would  become a pandemic of itself. 

It’s typical third-world style governance: monkey see with their eyes wide shut and monkey do with their legs wide open.

I submit that only when tricky-dadians re-use the vials for illicit drugs; or wildlife including leatherback turtles swallow floating plastic waste; or our beaches and landfills are cluttered with masks would we shamelessly start looking for a solution.

My response to my touch-screen student is that a public outcry should start beseeching our world-class politicians to make all manufacturers provide funds on a use and recall basis to minimise this impending tragedy. 

I am relying on Generation nexx to keep their eyes open.

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One comment

  1. Here is the politically correct answer you will get from Dr Rowley’s a-plaster-for-every-sore Government: “That is precisely the issue on which the now deceased Minister of Energy and Energy Industries was working prior to his unfortunate passing. The population can rest assured that his successor has now taken up the challenge and so he will have something concrete to share with the population in due course.”

    Yuh doh need millions of dollars to buy time…

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