The environmental dangers of employing single-use face masks as part of a COVID-19 exit strategy /
UCL Plastic Waste Innovation Hub
As the UK government defines its lockdown exit strategy, the mandatory wearing of masks in public is likely to be considered. - The World Health Organisation (WHO) does not currently recommend the use of masks by general populations as a means of preventing the spread of COVID-19, although a growing number of countries have been adopting this precautionary measure. - The NHS states that there needs to be clear evidence that wearing masks will deliver significant benefits to take the UK out of lockdown, if it is to jeopardise mask supply. - There is a growing body of evidence to suggest that even basic face masks can be effective in reducing the spread of the virus, by reducing the range and volume of exhaled water droplets containing SARS-CoV-2. - Most masks available for sale are made from layers of plastics and are designed to be single-use. If every person in the UK used one single-use mask each day for a year, that would create 66,000 tonnes of contaminated plastic waste and create ten times more climate change impact than using reusable masks. - In a hospital environment, single-use protective wear such as masks and gloves are contaminated items, and there are systems in place for their safe disposal, which involve segregation and incineration. - No such segregated system exists for the general public, and a policy that makes wearing face masks mandatory will result in thousands of tonnes of contaminated waste deposited in the street and in the household waste. - Evidence suggests that reusable masks perform most of the tasks of single-use masks without the associated waste stream. - An extensive public health campaign with clear instructions about how to wear, remove, and wash reusable masks will be needed if this is to become part of the UK government’s exit strategy.