SYDNEY, N.S. -- With more people using masks and gloves while out running essential errands, a new problem is emerging -- many of those items are being discarded.

A trail of blue rubber protective gloves littered a parking lot in Sydney, N.S. on Tuesday, but it's a problem that's popping up all across the Maritimes.

"I think it is despicable, deplorable," said a Sydney resident. "I don't understand if I'm able to clean up after my dog, why can't someone put their gloves in garbage?"

As the snow melts away, it's not uncommon to see the amount of trash pile up this time of year, but with COVID-19 comes new concerns, says Dylan Yates of the Cape Breton Environment Association.

"It's really concerning because we all know the impact of litter, but this brings a little bit extra when you have medical supplies being littered," Yates said. "It's really unsanitary and could pose a risk to workers who have to pick this up."

Last year at this time, the association did 21 community spring clean-ups, but with restrictions in place, that's not happening this year.

"We're seeing a large increase in litter throughout the community right now and there's not much we can really do about it, which is unfortunate as well," Yates said.

Francis Campbell is the manager of the solid waste department in the Cape Breton Regional Municipality.

"We've been seeing a lot of those gloves in parking lots at grocery stores," Campbell said.

He says there's no need to litter when the municipality is allowing residents to put extra black bags at the curb during the pandemic.

Gloves, masks, wipes and most other protective materials are accepted.

"Those are just normal waste," Campbell said. "They just go in the garbage and we will pick them up the same as everything else. There's no real special precautions you have to take with those materials."

It's not clear what drives people to litter, but if you're going to take the extra step to protect yourself, Yates says it only makes sense to be considerate to others and discard your materials properly.

"I don't know if it's that they're scared, but at the end of the day, you should bring a bag with you if you're heading out, that way you can put your gloves in a bag and seal it," Yates said, calling upon peoples' sense of community in hopes of curbing a problem for which there's no excuse.