A Hull company is leading the way in recycling disposable face masks - turning the pandemic-enforced new waste stream into material used for everyday items.
ReWorked has partnered with major retailers to provide collection points for the Covid PPE, and is now processing them into graded granules for use in plastic production.
Three million masks a minute are being thrown away globally, and if they find their way into water systems, metals and polluting plastic fibres can be released.
Read more: £70m Tangle Teezer business sold in deal that gives founder the last laugh over dragon doubters
Izzie Glazzard, marketing manager, said: “The sheer amount of PPE waste ending up in the environment will undeniably harm our native wildlife and sealife.
"ReWorked has teamed up with Morrisons and Wilko to make it really easy for the public to recycle disposable face masks which can then be turned into everyday products. This helps to reduce waste, cuts pollution and help combat climate change.”
Board produced at the Morley Street site in Stoneferry - formerly home to Reckitts’ Holliday Pigments business - is used for building materials, children's furniture, planters and even shop fittings.
Collection boxes have been established at 483 Morrisons supermarkets and 150 Wilko stores, with a national campaign featuring Ben Fogle and Bear Grylls raising awareness.
Most Read
Jerome Saint Marc, chief executive at Wilko, said: "Showing we care isn't something we just do at wilko, it's one of our core values. We're thrilled to partner with ReWorked to be the first on the high street to take positive action, recycling discarded face masks on behalf of our customers.
"The scheme is super simple for shoppers to safely recycle a product which is often unavoidably discarded as a result of us all taking steps to protect the health of everyone around us. What's more, it also means we're able to help hardworking families, local communities and other businesses by turning something that we're simply throwing away into a useful and sustainable product that can have a genuinely positive impact."
Get business news direct to your inbox
There's no better time to stay up to date with economic and business news from your region. By signing up for our daily newsletters, email breaking news alerts and weekly round-ups from all the major sectors, you get our journalism direct by email. To sign up, find out more and see all of our newsletters, follow the link here
ReWorked is also rolling out lateral flow testing kit recycling, targeting receptacles at schools and workplaces where high numbers are in use.
It has won praise from Hull City Council, with the ambition for the city to be carbon neutral by 2030.
ReWorked is one of a growing number of companies involved in an emerging circular economy, supported by the local authority.
Cllr Rosie Nicola, portfolio holder for environmental services, said: “Hull City Council is proud to have ReWorked on board as another way of supporting our commitment to being a carbon-neutral city by 2030.
Don’t miss
"It’s estimated that three million single-use face masks are being thrown away, globally, every minute! However, ReWorked’s inspirational recycling initiative shows just what is possible when ingenuity, industry and hard work come together to address waste pollution. Not only that, they are supporting jobs and boosting the local economy.”
ReWorked is part of MyGroup, previously known as Mytum and Selby, and also operates in North Yorkshire and Goole.