The Director-General of Health (DGS), Graça Freitas, warned today that disposable masks should be disposed of as household waste. She went on to say that “regardless of whether you use disposables or not, there are rules that must be complied with and one of them is the protection of the environment. A disposable mask should be treated as household waste. These items should never be disposed of at an ecopoint, and should never be abandoned in the street, road or a watercourse.”
Speaking to journalists at the daily pandemic press conference she re-confirmed that the DGS recommends the use of ‘community masks,’ which are manufactured under licensing or disposable ‘surgical’ masks.
Finally, she went on to advise that those using community masks should adhere to the manufactures washing instructions, and that those who use disposable masks must consider the environment, and dispose of their masks appropriately.
Samantha Gannon
info at madeira-weekly.com