Have You Seen These New Gas Pump Handles Around the SouthCoast?

I'm not sure when exactly these new gas pump handles were installed, but it was most certainly within the past month or so.

Over at the Shawmut Avenue Cumberland Farms in New Bedford and sprinkled throughout the SouthCoast, gas pump handles are being upgraded with eco-friendly plastic-glove receptacles.

At first, upon arrival, I thought that the gas pumps were out of order. The way the plastic gloves were flapping in the breeze made the pump appear to be broken. Normally, if a gas pump is down, there will be some type of caution tape look-a-like wrapped around the nozzle. It's easy to mistake the two.

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It's an interesting concept, but I sense an uptick in littering with this new concept.

However, in terms of cleanliness and protection from germs and people who refuse to wash their hands, it's a great safety feature, for sure.

The nozzle claims to be environmentally safe, but in my eyes, plastic is still plastic, compostable or not.

The handles boast:

• 99% reduction in dispenser waste
• 94% Reduction in CO2 footprint
• 75% Reduction in plastic footprint

Recently, the Cumberland Farms franchise rolled out compostable straws to replace plastic ones. These gas pump gloves are simply following suit.

Ideally, I suppose it's an easy solution to avoid getting gas on your hands or even oil or dirt. However, I've gone years being as cautious as possible and have yet to spill any gasoline on myself (knocks on wood). If anything, it's a more health-conscious invention to keep your hands from getting dirty.

Let's see how long these last before they become a hassle for the company to keep up refilling.