People are being urged to dispose of single-use masks and gloves responsibly.

They have been found in numerous locations in the island. According to a recent report by the Environment Science and Technology journal, around 194 billion disposable face masks and gloves, which are made from a variety of plastics that do not biodegrade, are used each month globally.

The Manx government strongly recommends wearing a face covering in public places as it can have a real impact on reducing the spread of the virus.

Minister for Environment, Food and Agriculture, Geoffrey Boot, said: ’Face coverings play an important role and should be used, but all single-use items must be disposed of responsibly in a bin to protect our environment.’

Jaime Amoedo from PlasticBusters, said: ’Fighting the pandemic should not come at the cost of further polluting our environment, and we encourage people to dispose of such items responsibly and wear reusable ones when possible.’

Founder of Beach Buddies, Bill Dale said: ’During the lockdown we have seen small quantities of single-use face coverings, not only on beaches but all around the island. However, it does appear that the vast majority of people are disposing of masks and gloves responsibly.’