Recycled face masks in Thailand amid COVID-19
Image credit: The Nation Thailand
Thai police have raided a recycling factory in in Thailand’s Saraburi province which was found to be selling used face masks as new ones amid the COVID-19 outbreak.
6 workers were found sorting through used face masks ironing them, and then folding them into boxes to look like they were new and unused.
One of the workers claimed that they had gotten the masks from a supplier, and thus did not know where they had come from originally, The Nation reports.
Masks seized and sent for investigation
Image credit: The Nation Thailand
Mr. Somsak Kaewsena, Wihandaeng district chief officer, shared that they had received a tip-off of the factory’s illegal recycling of face masks. Police have since seized all items and sent samples to the Ministry of Commerce in order to determine the source of the masks.
The workers also told officials that they were paid ฿1 for each piece, and around 300-400 masks were recycled each day per person.
Investigations are still underway.