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More on KentOnline
Two children upset about the number of face masks being thrown on the floor have collected more than 100 while on their daily dog walk.
Milena Stone, from Ramsgate , says her son Jamie, six, and daughter Daisy, four, have made it their mission to pick up as many as possible.
But the 30-year-old admits she is disgusted by the sheer number discarded with little thought to the environment or other people’s health.
She says they find the majority near the QEQM hospital in Margate.
“We were walking the dog near my mum’s house in Lister Road, which is right opposite the hospital on the St Peter’s Road side, and we kept seeing lots of masks on the ground,” she said.
“So my children and I went and got our litter grabbers and started picking them up and we now do this whenever we go out walking the dog each day.
“We find the majority in the roads outside the hospital but we pick them up wherever we are, we’ve picked up half a bin bag so far. We’ve definitely collected over 100.”
She says they mainly find the blue disposable masks.
“It’s disgusting that people are just dropping these on the floor,” Mrs Stone said.
“It’s bad for the environment but it’s also very unhealthy. These masks will have people’s droplets on them.
“The blue ones are made from plastic that will not break down - I don’t understand how people can just throw them on the floor without any thought.”
She says bus stops are also hotspots.
“You have to wear one when you’re on a bus and It’s as though some people get straight off and just throw them on the ground,” she said.
The teaching assistant, who works at Ursuline in Westgate-on-Sea, says while they find it upsetting that people are not putting them in the bin, the children get excited about finding masks to pick up.
“My children really enjoy it and it teaches them a good lesson about looking after the environment.” and to not be one of those people who doesn’t care,” she said.
“The reality is we’ve got to look after the environment as it’s for their future.”
