Clean Up Australia Day to tally how many face masks have been thrown out

And that it's estimated billions of face masks were thrown out every day across the world in 2020 alone?

Clean Up Australia Day this Sunday will be looking to tally the number of discarded masks picked out of the environment by volunteers across the nation.

Clean Up Australia Day was started by Ian Kiernan, who died in 2018. His daughter Pip has taken up the reins and is now chair of the organisation.

Volunteers this year are being asked to tally their rubbish collection, including how many face masks they collect, and log it online to help understand the spread and type of litter.

It's estimated in 2020 alone, up to 3.4 billion disposable face masks were thrown out every day across the world.

Ms Kiernan said single-use or disposable face masks were made using a variety of plastics, including polypropylene, polyethylene and vinyl - which meant they were not recyclable via kerbside recycling or with soft plastics. But their chemical make-up was not their only risk.

When disposing of single use face masks it was recommended that the ear straps are snapped before putting them in the general rubbish bin, because of potential harm to wildlife down the track.

Over the past two years, there had been "disturbing cases of seabirds and wildlife found tangled up in carelessly discarded single-use face masks".

Ms Kiernan said the next generation of PPE equipment needed to be designed to not only be as safe as possible but also have the lowest environmental footprint possible.

"Urgency is required to be more creative in the design of these products with the environment right up there in our thinking," she said.

"This concept of product stewardship - when we design a product and consider what happens to it at the end of its life - needs to be addressed at the outset.

"We need innovation in the design of PPE so that it's as safe as it can be but kinder on the environment."

More than 19 million Australians have donated their time as part of Clean Up Australia activities since it began 31 years ago.

Register and find a local event at www.cleanup.org.au/

You can also inspire your friends and family to help make a change by sharing a pledge and tagging @CleanUpAustralia #StepUpToCleanUp