Should PPE be washed or just thrown away?

THANK goodness companies with common sense are making reusable, washable PPE. What a nonsense to throw everything away, adding to the landfill and incineration problems. Even a million pounds worth of PPE is not going to last long if it is dumped after each patient. Home needle-workers are raiding their airing cupboards and wardrobes for fabric to turn into scrubs for care workers and to make drawstring bags so the kit can be put on a hot wash. I am involved with making 100 per cent cotton masks of various designs that can be boil washed for special needs schools and key workers. The masks even have a pocket for a removable filter. After assembling 60 flat drawstring masks in a day, I looked up the content of the disposable NHS version. They are non-woven polypropylene plastic. Surely we should be aiming to come out of this pandemic while still protecting the planet.

VERONICA LOWE, Churchdown, Gloucs.

I AM shocked at the scale of single-use PPE items being disposed of every day. I can only imagine the mountains of discarded gloves, aprons and masks. We are constantly being urged to cut plastic

waste, so we need research into making environmentally friendly PPE.

KATHY TYRRELL, Kettering, Northants.

WHEN I was a nurse, hospitals had their own laundries. Gloves, masks and plastic aprons are obviously essential for single use, but gowns and scrubs should be washed and reused.

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THE Mail Force charity is a great idea. I hope that in the future we can buy British-made, reusable PPE rather than relying on throwaway products made in China. We would be doing our bit for the planet and encouraging our industries.

JOANNA PAUL, Middlesbrough, N. Yorks.