Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what guidance his Department has published on the disposal of personal protective equipment by the public.

This is a devolved matter and the information provided therefore relates to England only.

Defra has not made estimates on the proportion of biohazardous personal protective equipment (PPE) discarded by the public that is being sent to landfill rather than incineration. This is because PPE used by the public is not required to be incinerated and therefore can be discarded in residual waste. All waste has to be disposed of in accordance with environmental regulations and the waste hierarchy and disposal to landfill is the last resort.

Defra has published guidance on the correct disposal of PPE for the public which is available online at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-disposing-of-waste. This explains that PPE should be placed in residual ‘black bag’ waste at home or whilst at work, or a litter bin if outside, and that PPE should not be put in a recycling bin or dropped as litter.

The guidance also details what members of the public should do if they, or a member of their household, are self-isolating at home. To dispose of any face coverings or PPE in this circumstance, members of the public are advised to double bag the waste and store it for 72 hours before putting them in a ‘black bag’ waste bin.