Grocery store workers in the US are being forced to clean up dirty gloves and masks discarded by shoppers, amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Shoppers are leaving gloves, masks and other protective gear in the grounds of supermarkets in the US, according to Business Insider.

They report that shoppers put on protective gear when they enter the store, in order to keep safe as they shop, but discard them as they leave.

Linda St Denis, an employee at a Safeway in California told Business Insider that “the parking lots are littered with gloves constantly, every day”.

Ms Denis said that grocery store workers are being put at risk, as “who knows how long the virus lasts on these gloves. It’s maddening”.

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She added that store employees are now having to clean up the discarded protective gear themselves.

The practice is not new, as the outlet reports that people have been sharing pictures of discarded protective gear on social media for weeks.

Twitter user @KYScouse96 tweeted: “Within a few yards at my local grocery store discarded gloves litter the entire parking lot. (DISGUSTING) WE ARE IN A PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS, HOW IS THIS ACCEPTABLE?​”

Some local governments in the US and abroad have taken action to stop people from discarding masks and gloves.

In Ottawa, Canada, they have threatened to fine people $365 if they discard protective gear on the ground.

In the US, the Bellingham Board of Health in Massachusetts​ announced that they will start visiting grocery stores and fining anyone discarding protective gear incorrectly.