This is How Long It Takes for A Single-Use Mask to Decompose
While the world has found ways to fight, or at least cope, with Covid-19, there’s another global crisis that’s only gotten bigger over the last few years — environmental plastic waste. For example, when we think about how long it takes for a disposable mask to decompose, the amount of time is shocking. So while single-use masks have helped slow the spread of the virus, they’re accelerating another crisis.
What are disposable masks made of?
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Single-use, disposable face masks (like the standard surgical ones) usually consist of three layers: a soft fiber inner layer, a melt-blown filter in the middle, and an outer layer made with nonwoven fibers. According to an article published in the Science of the Total Environment, these layers are often produced with polymers such as polypropylene, a type of thermoplastic. Thermoplastics are incredibly resilient and they break down into micro-sized plastic fibers. In fact, according to a study in Environmental Advances, a single face mask can release as many as 173,000 microfibers per day into the sea.
How long does it take for a mask to decompose?
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The answer is 450 years — over four centuries! Similarly, for the sake of comparison, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Australia claims it takes about 200 years for a plastic straw to decompose, 450 years for a plastic water bottle to decompose, and 500 years for coffee pods to decompose.
It’s no wonder hospitals are one of the largest contributors to global waste. In fact, hospital waste equals about 73% of global discharge. Hospitals often use disposable plastic products for the sake of sterilization. While some of these products are necessary, we can’t help but wonder what would happen if hospitals made the switch to reusable masks to reduce some of this waste?
Are reusable masks better for the environment?
The simple answer is yes. The CDC recommends discarding standard disposable N95 masks after each use. However, in the case of a shortage, it may be worn up to five times.
Over a six-month period in the U.S., providing a new disposable respirator for each healthcare worker after each patient encounter would result in 185.2 million pounds of waste, according to an article published in the BMJ Open. Providing one new N95 respirator for each healthcare worker per day in the same time period would still result in 82 million pounds of waste. That’s a lot of waste, especially when we consider how long it takes for a mask to decompose.
However, if hospitals made the switch to reusable face masks or respirators with disposable filters — without changing anything else — that number would significantly reduce to about 34.67 million pounds of waste: about an 81.3% decrease!
Meet The Reusable Teal Bio Respirator
We created the reusable Teal Bio Respirator with the environment, hospital costs and, of course, healthcare worker safety in mind. The reusable silicone mask body is flexible, moldable, and designed to fit faces of all genders. Plus, not only can it be easily cleaned with standard sanitizing wipes and cleaners, but with proper use, Teal Bio expects it can also be reused for up to one year. The small disposable filters are also designed with a specially made wool that’s biodegradable.
Overall, the Teal Bio Respirator is a more sustainable option. However, it’s also being developed as a more comfortable option to single-use N95 masks, and due to its transparent design, it could improve communication with patients as well. With this in mind, it’s worth noting that communicating while wearing single-use N95 masks disproportionately impacts people with hearing disabilities and low English proficiency (LEP). A study conducted by New York University found that discharged hospital patients who reported trouble communicating with their doctors were 32% more likely to be readmitted within the next 30 days.
Learn More At Teal Bio
The need for reusable face masks and respirators has never been more apparent, especially when we consider that more than 129 billion are used globally in a month. We should do more to keep healthcare workers safe and comfortable while wearing respiratory protection without unnecessarily harming the environment — and reusable respirators like the one Teal Bio is developing is a big step in the right direction.
