COVID-19 is a comparatively new illness and scientists across the globe are functioning on war footing to obtain a vaccine that can save lives. Till then the only way to preserve your self and other people secure from the coronavirus infection is to comply with norms of social distancing and use face masks. There is proof to show that optimal use of masks can curb the spread of the illness. So wearing masks is a fantastic issue, especially when the situations of SARS-CoV-2 infections continue to rise unabated in a number of components of the globe.
Ever considering that the pandemic has begun, there has been an elevated want to preserve hygiene and mask has turn into a pivotal component of our lives. Since the breakdown of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a surge in the demand of the face mask. But we look to be not bothered about an unfortunate side impact of wearing face masks, in unique, disposable masks.
According to Kapil Bhatia, CEO of UniMask, such masks include polypropylene – a kind of plastic – and as a result it could be the subsequent greatest environmental hazard.
“A disposable mask is a mask which cannot be washed or reused. These masks are meant for single-use and are disposed off after one use. These masks do not lend themselves to reuse because they work by trapping harmful particles inside the mesh of fibers of which they are made off. The most frequently used material to make the disposable mask is polypropylene, either 20 or 25 gsm (grams per square meter) in density,” Bhatia stated.
As per a report by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), worldwide sales of disposable face masks this year will be worth USD 166 billion. This would be significantly extra than sales in 2019 which was about USD 800 million. According to UCTAD 75 per cent of the estimated mask could finish up in landfills or the sea.
“Marine plastic pollution is a serious problem. It is estimated that every year, over eight million tons of plastic enter our oceans. As polypropylene slowly breaks down into micro-plastic it enters food chains, with devastating effect. As the pandemic is likely to drag on, we should address these plastic pollution issues immediately,” the Unimask CEO stated
Frontline COVID-19 warriors and men and women employed in the vital solutions have relied on plastic-primarily based, single-use private protective gear (PPE) like masks and gowns to shield themselves from the coronavirus. This has resulted in a mountain of plastic waste which continues to develop with every single passing day.
While the frontline well being workers have no choice but to use disposal masks and PPE Kits, the least that we can do to support them and support us, is do away with the use of disposable masks from our lives.
If extra than 90 per cent of the population resorts to working with reusable masks, leaving it to be employed only by the frontline well being workers, what we are seeking at then in the close to future is a controllable situation and not an uncontrollable a single, Bhatia opined.
So, there are specific issues that a single must preserve in thoughts though acquiring a mask. The material, comfort, layers supplied are the foremost attributes a single must appear for though acquiring a face mask. To be successful these masks must cover your nose, mouth, and chin and are secured with elastic loops or ties, like a number of layers, washable and reusable. The material need to be skin-friendly and fits specifically to one’s face.