Hundreds of face masks are being dumped on the streets and seafront of Weston-super-Mare as tourists flock to the town.
North Somerset Council contractors Glendale say they picked up more than 200 disposable face masks on the beach over the weekend.
And they say they found double that amount littered around the town centre.
The rise in the number of discarded face masks is thought to be down to the fact it is now mandatory to wear a face covering in shops.
With the summer holidays in full swing and the recent good weather, the seaside town has also welcomed thousands of tourists.
Council bosses are now appealing for people to dispose of their face masks properly not only to limit rubbish but also help reduce risk of infection.
North Somerset Council spokesman Nick Yates said: “People do not have to use single use face coverings as there are ones which can be washed and re-used.
“For those who do use the single use masks we would ask them to do the obvious thing and dispose of them properly in the bins provided,
“If the bins are full, the message is simple, people should take their rubbish home with them and put them in their own bin.
“It is not rocket science.
“Littering is not only unsightly but discarding items like this is a potential health risk to our crews.
“Our crews should not be forced to pick items up like this just because people cannot be bothered to do the right thing.”
The fact that people are discarding used PPE on the streets of Weston comes atthe same time as the authority is gearing up to employ a private firm to clampdown on littering.
The private contractor will hand out fines for littering, dog fouling and fly-across the district by the end of August.
The council is "upping its game" after a spike in offences and a recent consultation which revealed an appetite in residents for tougher enforcement.
The litter police scheme will be run initially for 12 months.
Money from fines issued would be split between the company and the council.
People can already be issued £75 fines for littering, dog fouling and antisocial behaviour and other breaches of a public space protection order that covers the whole of North Somerset.
