TATIANA EGGERS – SUSTAINABILITY EDITOR
For the past year, face masks have been a staple in everyone’s life, but what happens to these masks, specifically disposable masks, when we are done using them?
Due to the material, which is similar to plastic bags, disposable masks cannot be recycled. Additionally, the risk of COVID-19 contamination prohibits disposable masks from being recycled. Since this type of face mask cannot be recycled or repurposed, mask waste in landfills and in the environment increases significantly.
Mask waste has become a universal problem over the past year of the pandemic. The American Association for the Advancement of Science states that “if the global population adheres to a standard of one disposable face mask per day after lockdowns end, the pandemic could result in a monthly global consumption and waste of 129 billion face masks.”
As of right now, the Colorado state-wide mask mandate is set to end on May 2, bringing up the concern of increased mask waste in the Grand Junction area. After speaking with Colorado Mesa University’s Sustainability Council President, Ryan Biller, he pointed out one of the only solutions to decreasing mask waste.
“I feel like this issue isn’t as complex as we think it is. There is no possible way to recycle or repurpose disposable masks, the surgical masks, so it seems like the only thing that people can do to prevent mask waste is to exclusively use reusable cloth masks and refrain from using any sort of single use masks entirely,” Biller said, “if you have already been using disposable masks, let that be your last one and as soon as you can, go invest in a reusable mask. It will be more economically and environmentally friendly.”
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