While out for a walk or running an errand these days, it is hard to miss discarded disposable masks littering sidewalks, parking lots and gutters.
Of course, what goes through my mind is that this is just another type of single-use plastic destined for one of our nearby bodies of water. In my community, it’s Manhasset Bay. But the mask litter may eventually wind up in Long Island Sound or the Atlantic Ocean. What then?
Well, as is the fate of all plastics that wind up in our oceans, they will break up into smaller and smaller pieces, assisted by the currents and photodegradation. In the end, they will just become microplastics floating on top of the water, dispersing throughout the water column or mixing with the sediment on the ocean’s floor.
Throughout this journey, the plastic may be ingested by marine life, causing harm and even death in millions of sea mammals, sea birds and fish.
Disposable face masks are typically made from polypropylene plastic, with polyester and acrylic used as the balance of raw materials. Plastic materials like these also attract and absorb chemical contaminants in the water, such as PCBs and PFAS, making ingestion of disposable masks by animals even more toxic. And some of the fish that have accumulated these toxic chemicals in their flesh will be harvested and sold for human consumption.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, the numbers of disposable masks in use around the world are pretty staggering.
Fifty-two billion masks were manufactured in 2020, with an average weight of 3-4 grams. That equals 4,680 to 6,240 metric tons of new plastic marine pollution. In terms of dollars and for comparison, $800 million was spent on disposable masks in 2019 and $166 billion was spent in 2020.
In France alone, authorities have ordered two billion disposable masks, according to Opération Mer Propre, a French association with an innovative approach to protect our Oceans. Their group of underwater snorkelers is manually removing Medical Personal Protective Equipment from the bottom of the seas.
A group spokesperson says that “Soon we will run the risk of having more masks than jellyfish in the Mediterranean.” When asked about the transmissibility of the virus from breathing on one another without a face covering, the spokesperson said “It is true that we have to protect ourselves, however, each one of us has the power to pick more sustainable solutions and reduce single-use plastics.”
The pandemic has created a huge demand for the production of face masks, and certainly, those masks have made a “life and death” difference in hospitals. And it does not just mask that are in demand, but other PPE made from plastic as well, including gloves, gowns, goggles, face shields, plastic bottles of hand sanitizers, ventilators and IV bags, that have helped saved the lives of both medical professionals and patients alike.
This is the place where we have to be vigilant about proper disposal to be sure the waste ends up in landfills.
Non-medical use of face masks by those of us who are going about our daily lives, albeit slightly altered daily lives, have no need for disposable masks. It is my hope that people will embrace wearing reusable masks instead of disposable ones and wash their hands frequently instead of wearing disposable gloves, as the Centers for Disease Control has recommended.
The CDC has also recently stated that washable triple–layered (or two double layered) cloth masks will offer the necessary protection from the virus. And the World Health Organization adds that regular hand-washing offers more protection against catching COVID-19 than wearing gloves while out in public areas.
In fact, a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that COVID-19 lasts longest on plastic and stainless steel.
Reusable masks can be washed with widely available household cleaners as well as soap and water. I soak used cloth face masks in hot water and a bio-based disinfectant and then wash with regular laundry.
The increase in the production and consumption of disposable face masks and other single-use plastics needed by those fighting the current pandemic has created a new environmental challenge…one that exponentially increases the serious single-use plastic waste dilemma that has been on a short list of the most pressing global issues of our time.
Each disposable face mask or other PPE used during the pandemic will pollute our planet for about 400 years. We can reduce this burden with the simple acts of wearing a reusable cloth mask or making sure a disposable mask is properly thrown in the trash.
