For several decades now, we humans, have been polluting our oceans. Adding approx. 13 million tonnes of plastic every year to the oceans, we have already endangered the marine ecosystem.

If that wasn’t enough, we are now adding Covid waste to the oceans.

A French non-profit organisation involved in picking litter from sea coast recently found disposable masks floating like jellyfish, gloves and sanitiser bottles scattered across seabeds. 

Following this, environmentalists are suggesting that the coronavirus pandemic could lead to an increase in ocean pollution. 

According to reports, the amount of Covid waste found in the seas was enormous, hinting towards a new kind of pollution. 

Joffrey Peltier of the same French organisation in a letter to the French President wrote:

With a lifespan of 450 years, these masks are an ecological timebomb given their lasting environmental consequences for our planet.

He also posted some images and videos on social media.

Knowing that more than 2 billion disposable masks have been ordered, soon there will be more masks than jellyfish in the waters of the Mediterranean…!

Similar reports emerged from the uninhabited Soko Islands of Hong King where dozens of disposable masks turned up on the beaches.

The finding has raised alarm all over the world and conservationists are concerned as more and more people take to using disposable masks and gloves.

A little bit of improvement in our environment during the lockdown gave us hope for a better future. But it seems we are never going to learn.