Singapore – The Prime Minister’s wife just called the people in Hong Kong “idiots” and for a good reason after sharing news of the city’s increasing number of used face masks being discarded in the wrong places.
On Saturday (Mar 14), CEO of Temasek Holdings, Ho Ching took to Facebook to share some alarming news about Hong Kong beaches and nature trails piling up with discarded face masks.
Environmental groups in Hong Kong have begun warning of the huge threat that the irresponsibly discarded face masks pose to marine life and wildlife habitats. According to a report from cgtn.com which Ms Ho shared, a significant number of the masks used by 7.4 million people in the city are not properly disposed of. Instead, they have ended up in the sea or countryside where wildlife and marine life could mistake the items for food.
There is also the risk of spreading pathogens from the masks used to protect oneself from the Covid-19 virus.
Gary Stokes, the founder of the environmental group Oceans Asia, noted that although people have only begun using the masks for the last six to eight weeks, “we are now seeing the effect on the environment.”
Founder of the group Plastic Free Seas in Hong Kong shared that the face masks are made of polypropylene, a type of plastic that does not break down quickly. “People think they’re protecting themselves but it’s not just about protecting yourselves, you need to protect everybody, and by not throwing away the masks properly, it’s very selfish.”
Meanwhile, Ms Ho commented, “Idiots! If we are ‘smart’ enough to wear a surgical mask, we should be smart enough to bin them properly.”
She added, “If we throw used tissues and used masks around, we deserve to be called idiots.”
Netizens agreed at the label used and even said “idiot” was still kind for such a selfish act.
Others shared that the same thing is happening in Singapore, such as one who found a used face mask on the ground while another in a Grab car.
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