Disposable face masks used during the Covid-19 pandemic are breaking down and releasing microplastics and harmful chemicals into the environment, posing a long-term risk to human and animal health, according to new research.
The study, led by Anna Bogush of Coventry University's Centre for Agroecology, Water and Resilience, found that masks left in water for 24 hours leached microplastics and bisphenol B, an endocrine-disrupting chemical that mimics oestrogen. FFP2 and FFP3 masks, considered the gold standard for protection, released four to six times more microplastics than other types.
At the height of the pandemic, an estimated 129 billion disposable masks were used globally each month, most made from polypropylene and other plastics. With no recycling stream, the majority ended up in landfill or as litter in streets, parks, beaches, and waterways.
The researchers estimated that the total production of single-use masks during the pandemic led to the release of 128–214 kg of bisphenol B into the environment. “This study has underlined the urgent need to rethink how we produce, use and dispose of face masks,” said Bogush.
The findings, published in the journal Environmental Pollution, highlight the environmental cost of the very equipment intended to protect public health. “We can’t ignore the environmental cost of single-use masks, especially when we know that the microplastics and chemicals they release can negatively affect both people and ecosystems,” Bogush added.
