High street store launching disposable mask recycling scheme

High street store wilko is to launch an instore mask recycling scheme, so customers can safely drop off their used disposable face masks to be recycled and reused as everything from building materials to new furniture.

A total of 150 wilko stores nationwide will have special collection bins for customers to drop off their used single use face masks starting from 1 April.

Once the in-store bins are full, collected masks are shredded down into raw materials, which can be sustainably developed into products ranging from other safety materials for businesses to building materials and even quality, durable public space furniture.

Wilko has partnered with ReWorked, Metrisk Ltd and Scan2Recycle.

Jerome Saint Marc, chief executive at wilko, said: “One of our core values is to show we care and, we understand the importance of climate change to our customers who expect us to take-action on their behalf and make better choices about caring for the environment.

“That’s why we’re thrilled to have developed this scheme, which makes it super simple for shoppers to safely recycle a product which is often unavoidably discarded as a result of us all taking steps to protect the health of everyone around us.

“What’s more, it also means we’re able to help hardworking families, local communities and other businesses by turning something that we’re simply throwing away into a useful and sustainable product that can have a genuinely positive impact.”

The Covid-19 crisis has seen a huge increase in the use of disposable face masks as the nation adapts its everyday behaviour around public safety guidelines but according to TradeWaste.co.uk, the public are throwing away 53 million masks each day in the UK.

An estimated eight million tonnes of general plastic waste is already ending up in the world’s oceans every year, and the impact of the pandemic will only increase that figure if PPE litter continues to increase.

The scheme is the latest in an ongoing series of measures wilko is implementing to make a positive difference to the environment; the retailer has pledged to reach Net Zero Carbon by 2040 by signing the BRC’s Climate Action Roadmap and has joined The UK Plastics Pact, which focuses solely on reducing the use of single-use plastic.

This scheme is a pilot and will run for three months from 1st April 2021.