Conservationists has warned the public that the improper disposal of the disposable masks could cause a major crisis in the marine ecosystem. With tons of disposable masks being used every day, it has become increasingly difficult to fully implement the proper segregation of these jellyfish-like floaters that are scattered across the seabeds. One could easily determine the cause of this water pollution fiasco as being the pandemic. However, this is not just about the disposable mask, but the attitude towards proper management and disposal. 

It is estimated that there are about 13 million tons of plastic waste that go into the sea each year according to the 2018 UN Environmentalists. Years from now, the existence of marine life could suddenly be wiped out because of these plastic materials that stay on ocean beds and landfills for over 450 years. Due to the industrialization and the convenience of the disposable mask, the demand for this material rose enormously since the pandemic hit the United States, Europe, China, and its neighboring countries.

The Benefit Of Masks For Protection 

Infectious diseases are easily transferred through openings like our eyes, nose, and mouth. The use of a mask to cover the mouth and nose as a means of keeping germs became mandatory protection for medical workers due to the Manchurian plague in 1910-11 and the influenza pandemic of 1918-19. Fast forward, nowadays many new related innovations such as face masks, cotton masks, surgical masks, and the N95 mask are readily available everywhere, where the increase in demand had occurred for many reasons:

  • Lower the spread of the disease – Studies have looked at the death cases due to coronavirus across 198 countries and they found that the mortality rate in countries with the mandatory wearing of a mask is less as compared to those countries that had no definite mask protocols.
  • Lower the transmission rate – Probably the most essential benefit of wearing a mask is the rate of transmission would lessen dramatically. Wearing a mask along with the other protection measures really works. Citizens also participate in the awareness by urging people in their community to wear face masks whenever they go out to protect their families from taking home the virus.
  • Convenience during the critical time – Time is vital as reported cases rose at the start of the spreading in the United States January of this year when there was still no mandate for wearing a mask. However, with the convenience of buying a mask in the grocery and drugstores as a first defense against the outbreak, it has then started to show a decline.

Shortage In Disposable Masks For The Frontliners

At the start of the pandemic, there had been issues of face masks and PPE shortages due to the hoarding of these items, panic buying, and misuse that escalated the effect of global demand. The prices of alcohol and hand-sanitizers also doubled due to the lax government protocols of these items in the market. Since the start of the outbreak, WHO has so far shipped nearly half a million sets of personal protective equipment to 47 countries. Based on their modeling, approximately 89 million medical masks are required for the COVID-19 response each month. With the PPE shortages faced by many hospitals particularly in face masks, many hospitals had to sanitize and reuse face masks which caused safety issues for the public.

Given the urgency, the FDA approved the cleaning method for emergency use. Still, safety concerns were raised about how many cleaning cycles the face mask required before reuse. Some companies could sanitize the reused face masks and their cleaning methods were a success, including the use of UV light for cleaning. That being said, donation drives were created to support the growing demand and the lack of PPEs in the market. Both private and public sectors worked on campaigns that give awareness of wearing a mask at the same time, urging people to help, to show support through donating.

Airmask: One Of The Best Face Masks On The Market

We need a face covering that has premium quality, made of organic cotton, with superior performance in terms of usability and protection for the face and upper respiratory. A quality face mask where protection meets comfort, cost, fashion, and durability. With the aid of Dupont Silvadur Technology, airMask reduces odor on the fabrics and repels water, inhibiting the formation of bacteria on the ends of your mask and its strap. In addition, it has an extra filter pocket layer of protection to avoid the transmission of seasonal ailments and bacteria that will thrive on your mask.

Available at airDefenderUSA.

In a time where health has becomes a priority, it is important to remain germ-free, so look for a premium face mask that has many benefits and serves its general purpose – protection. Use it with airDefender all-in-one antibacterial face and body spray to experience 10+ hours of sanitizing and deodorizing effectiveness that is water-based, non-drying, and non-toxic for your skin.

December 25, 2020

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