Mask – Memphis Flyer

The Tennessee Department of Transportation, Tennessee Department of Environment & Conservation, and Keep Tennessee Beautiful announced a three-way partnership on Tuesday, August 18th. The partnership aims to reduce personal protective equipment litter and educate the public on proper PPE and single-use mask disposal.

“This partnership is a response to a rise in PPE litter, which TDOT has begun to notice on rights-of-way, and how we, as state agencies, can work together to share one impactful message,” TDOT Commissioner Clay Bright said.

TDOT Commissioner Clay Bright

Through the partnership, the groups will release a series of posts highlighting proper PPE disposal. Posts and additional messaging will be shared electronically by all three entities and made available through KTnB and their statewide network of affiliates. Proper PPE disposal has also been worked into TDOT’s “Nobody Trashes Tennessee” litter prevention campaign.

All social media posts will center around three main points:

Single-use masks, gloves, and wipes should not be placed into any recycling containers or disposed of on the ground. Improper disposal creates health and environmental hazards.
All PPE should be properly disposed of in a trash receptacle.
Wearing a reusable or cloth mask instead of single-use masks can reduce the amount of PPE waste going to landfills and help fight the spread of COVID-19.

“In these unusual times, unusual problems arise, and the litter of personal protective equipment is an example,” TDEC Commissioner David Salyers said. “We encourage all Tennesseans to be mindful of this issue and maintain their commitment to the beauty of our state. We are grateful to TDOT and Keep Tennessee Beautiful for their partnership in this effort.”

TDOT spends $15 million annually on litter pickup and prevention education. Through its efforts, the amount of roadside litter has decreased by 43 percent since 2006. Despite this, nearly 100 million pieces of litter occur on Tennessee roadsides at any given time.

Shelby County Health Department/Facebook

The Shelby County Health Department (SCHD) has stopped the distribution of the state’s face masks over concerns about a chemical with which the masks have been treated.

The department announced the move in a news release Monday morning. The masks had been given away at all health department locations since May 7th.

The black, knitted face masks are treated with Silvadur. According to the department, it is an anti-microbial agent applied to fabrics to reduce the growth of odor-causing bacteria. Only trace amounts of the chemical are applied to the fabric and the chemical diminishes each time the mask is washed, according to the manufacturer. CDC

“Until more information is made available about Silvadur and its application to the masks, SCHD has stopped all distribution of the masks and is asking partnering agencies to also stop distributing them,” the department said in a statement Monday morning. “Anyone who has one of the masks and has safety concerns about it should stop wearing it and wear an alternative facial covering.”

The department continues to recommend wearing a face mask where social distancing is difficult to maintain. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has information and guidance about facial coverings, including instructions for making a cloth facial covering, on its website here.