A new effort is designed to crack down on Long Island residents who are tossing used plastic gloves and masks on the ground.

Nassau County Legislator Joshua Lafazan has proposed a $250 fine for littering personal protective equipment anywhere within the county. He says the exponential growth of PPE use during the pandemic and people improperly disposing of them is a health hazard.

Environmentalists say if latex gloves wash into our waterways, our wildlife could be threatened as well.

If passed, Lafazan says the new law would only be in effect during emergency declarations.

"Littering is unacceptable in any form, but the littering of PPE not only harms our environment and quality of life, but possibly is a direct threat to millions of Americans working valiantly each day to keep us safe," says Lafazan.

Many stores have put out extra receptacles to collect PPE, so Lafazan says there is no excuse to toss them on the ground.