Disposable over Reusable Face Masks: Public Safety or Environmental Disaster?

نویسندگان

چکیده

Many governments have imposed the public use of face masks and they are now moving towards enforcing disposable to abate COVID-19 transmission. While consistently provide higher protection, also carry multiple environmental burdens, from greenhouse gases released during production landfilling littering. Conversely, reusable masks’ protection can vary >90% certified industrial masks, similar dubious homemade or artisanal masks. This work discusses provided by different their impact on environment, new proposals combining concerns about health sustainability.

برای دانلود باید عضویت طلایی داشته باشید

برای دانلود متن کامل این مقاله و بیش از 32 میلیون مقاله دیگر ابتدا ثبت نام کنید

اگر عضو سایت هستید لطفا وارد حساب کاربری خود شوید

منابع مشابه

Use of disposable face masks for public health protection against SARS.

The paper by Syed et al, 1 provides observations on the use of face masks by members of the public for protection against the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) corona-virus (CoV). The authors' raise an important question as to whether masks are effective in preventing disease. The type of masks used can generally be categorised as either surgical or paper and are suggested to offer simil...

متن کامل

An investigation into the efficiency of disposable face masks.

Disposable face masks used in hospitals have been assessed for the protection afforded the patient and the wearer by challenges of simulated natural conditions of stress. Operating theatre masks made of synthetic materials allow the wearer to breathe through the masks, and these have been shown to protect the patient well but the wearer slightly less. Cheaper paper masks are worn for ward dutie...

متن کامل

Facility arrangements, food safety, and the environmental performance of disposable and reusable cups

Conventional disposable cups, made of fossil-based plastic or paper with inner lining of fossil-based plastic, are typically associated with an unnecessary use of scarce resources and a superfluous production of waste. An alternative has become available in disposable cups from bio-based and biodegradable materials, so-called biocups, made from bioplastic or paper with inner lining of bioplasti...

متن کامل

Disposable surgical face masks for preventing surgical wound infection in clean surgery.

BACKGROUND Surgical face masks were originally developed to contain and filter droplets of microorganisms expelled from the mouth and nasopharynx of healthcare workers during surgery, thereby providing protection for the patient. However there are several ways in which surgical face masks could potentially contribute to contamination of the surgical wound. OBJECTIVES To identify and review al...

متن کامل

Disrupting the transmission of influenza a: face masks and ultraviolet light as control measures.

In the event of an influenza pandemic, where effective vaccine and antiviral drugs may be lacking, disrupting environmental transmission of the influenza virus will be the only viable strategy to protect the public. We discuss 2 such modalities, respirators (face masks) and ultraviolet (UV) light. Largely overlooked, the potential utility of each is underappreciated. The effectiveness of dispos...

متن کامل

ذخیره در منابع من


  با ذخیره ی این منبع در منابع من، دسترسی به آن را برای استفاده های بعدی آسان تر کنید

ژورنال

عنوان ژورنال: Environments

سال: 2021

ISSN: ['2076-3298']

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/environments8040031