Aarhus deploys 100 bins for the disposal of facemasks around the city

The new bins answer pressing issues that are putting an increasing strain on the environment during the pandemic

Facemasks have become such an integral part of our daily lives over the last year that we can hardly remember a time without them. Yet with their protective properties, they also bring about some issues that must be resolved – namely pollution. In the Danish city of Aarhus, local authorities have set up 100 bins made specially to house discarded facemasks and to thereby prevent them from littering the streets and green spaces of the municipality.

Protecting both citizens and the environment

Used facemasks both pose a risk of infection and are a challenge for nature and the environment, as they are made of plastic and aluminium, among other things. At the same time, a new Epinion study, cited by Aarhus’ local authorities, shows that they rank among the waste that bothers the city’s residents the most.

“Corona has changed a lot in our lives in a short time - also the type of waste that is thrown on the street. We must and must take care of each other, our city and nature. Therefore, of course, we must also make sure to throw our sanitary equipment in the trash after use. The new bins make it easier to get rid of your facemasks after use. Should you encounter a filled rubbish bin, you must take your mask with you to the next one or throw it out at home. There are no excuses for just throwing it away,” explained Bünyamin Simsek, Councilor for Technology and the Environment.

Aarhus Municipality has set up a total of 100 rubbish bins for facemasks. The first ones were deployed in late November and are designed so that it is easy to throw out one’s facemask without having to touch handles or surfaces. At the same time, the buckets have a clamped lid that ensures that neither birds nor wind can spread them in the urban space.

The large 240-litre buckets can hold approximately 3000 masks and is made so that they can also be handled in a healthy manner when the bins have to be emptied.