A councillor has blasted people who are dumping masks and gloves on the streets and warned it could spread coronavirus.
Councillor Siobhian Brown was shocked to spot the discarded personal protective equipment (PPE) lying on roads in Ayr.
Town streets, which have been littered with PPE include Doonholm, Maybole, Heathfield and Prestwick Roads among others.
Blue plastic gloves are even lying on rural hedges outside villages such as Coylton and Annbank. Our Ayrshire Post photographer spotted a mask in Rozelle Park (above).
Ayr West SNP councillor Brown said: “I have been shocked to see masks and disposable gloves discarded by the roadside in recent weeks. PPE is intended to help protect us during this current health crisis but discarding used PPE carelessly puts others at risk and potentially exposes them to the virus and also creates a plastic pollution problem.
The mum added: “Littering is never acceptable but littering used PPE is abhorrent and selfish behaviour. People that are doing this are putting others at risk which is not acceptable during these difficult days which we all should be pulling together and supporting each other.”
Councillor Brown shared some pictures of gloves she encountered during walks in the Corton area.
Ayrshire Post photographer Euan McCall has also taken a number of pictures of the PPE litter.
More than a billion items of PPE have been distributed across the UK in response to the pandemic.
Environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy said: “ No one should have to deal with someone's littered PPE.
“Please be responsible and bin masks and gloves after use, protect the environment and help limit the spread of coronavirus."
The charity has reported a rise in PPE litter in different areas.
