TOMS RIVER-It’s nasty. It’s disgusting. It’s a medical risk, but according to Ocean County Freeholder Joseph Vicari, 45, it’s, unfortunately, a sign of the times. People still continue to litter supermarket parking lots with their used ‘rona infected gloves and masks. Many parking lots look like the neighborhood park the morning after prom night on any given day.”On a recent trip to the supermarket I was stunned by the number of used plastic gloves in the parking lot,” he said. “This cannot continue.”
Before we continue, let’s get one thing straight. There’s some ad-libbing in this story to drive home the point. This is no time to shield filthy pigs in our community for the sake of political correctness. If you wish to see the press release published by the county’s six-figure press release writer, just click here.
Related: Attention Shoppers! Nobody wants to pick up your damn gloves!
The used gloves, and in some case masks, pose both a health threat and a danger to the environment, Vicari said.
“Nobody wants to be picking up used gloves,” said of the disgusting, filthy pigs, who let’s recap, are our neighbors and friends most likely. “Fortunately, there are easy ways to dispose of the gloves properly.”
Vicari suggested people bring plastic bags with them while out shopping or visiting other destinations. He also said to properly dispose of your nasty, dirty gloves, because nobody wants to see that or touch that.
“Carefully remove the gloves after use and place them in the plastic bag for disposal once you get home,” he said. “For an extra precaution, use hand sanitizer after handling the gloves and the bags.”
After seeing plastic gloves strewn across the parking lot, and even thrown into shopping carts, at a local supermarket, Vicari also asked that food stores, convenience stores and other retail establishments place additional trash cans in their parking lots for the disposal of gloves and masks. Sadly, even those who already have trash bins in the parking lot have not been spared.
“The easier it is to throw away used gloves, the less likely people will be to simply toss them on the ground,” Vicari said.
Freeholder Gerry P. Little, liaison to the Ocean County Health Department, agreed. Little said it’s common sense, something that has been lacking in and around supermarkets these days.
“It doesn’t take much time or effort to remove the gloves and throw them in a trash can,” he said.
Little said the problem isn’t limited to shopping centers. “I’ve seen gloves and masks on sidewalks and in the gutters, There is absolutely no reason for this to happen.”
Besides the obvious health risks, rubber gloves pose a danger to sewer systems and the environment.
“Gloves can wash into storm drains and block them up,” Vicari said. “They can also wash into lakes, rivers and the bay causing environmental hazards.”