According to the UK government, despite the rapid rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine, face masks are here to stay. But which type of eco face mask do you use?
In late 2020, a waste company claimed that the UK is sending 53 million disposable masks to landfill each day and that’s without even counting the masks that may end up in the sea or in rivers. It’s an approach to covering our faces that could be causing a great deal of harm to the environment in both the short and long term, so is it time to make the switch to eco face masks?
The problem with disposable masks
Disposable face masks are certainly convenient: just take a new one out of the packet, slip it on, and dispose of it once you’re done. However, these disposable masks are generally made from a variety of plastics, including polypropylene, polyethene and vinyl, which Greenpeace suggest can take up to 450 years to fully break down.
What’s more, if these masks aren’t disposed of in the right way, they can cause problems for wildlife. Between March and September 2020 alone, the RSPCA had to rescue over 900 animals in the UK, mostly birds who had got their feet tangled in the elasticated parts of disposable masks.
It’s why some groups and organisations have called on the government to ban the sale of disposable face masks to the public in a bid to ensure a more eco-friendly approach to PPE during COVID-19. So what’s the alternative?
The benefits of eco face masks
A reusable face mask that can be washed in between uses is the perfect alternative to disposable masks. Designed to be worn again and again, the more people who use these, the less impact face masks will have on the environment. Since the pandemic began, plenty of businesses have sprung up selling reusable face masks, but how far do they go in their quest for sustainability?
Look a little harder, and you’ll find some companies that make sure their eco face masks protect our environment in as many ways as possible. Look for fabrics like recycled polyester. Recycling plastic bottles into polyester, rather than sending them to landfill, uses far less energy than drilling oil to be processed into polyester fabrics.
You’ll also find eco face masks with different fastening methods: some which loop over the ears, some which fasten behind the head, if you don’t find ear loops comfortable. But what about businesses looking to kit out their workers with PPE?
Eco face masks are a great choice for businesses
If you’ve agreed to supply your workers with face masks for use while at work, it may be tempting to buy disposable face masks in bulk. But how do you want customers, suppliers and the public to view your business in terms of sustainability?
Eco-friendly face masks need not break the bank, and can significantly reduce the amount of waste that your business produces. What’s more, by buying reusable rather than disposable masks, you can have these masks printed with your logo, meaning that branding will be consistent across all of your team and that those you work with will be able to see your commitment to doing things properly.
With eco face masks costing less than their disposable counterparts in the long run and providing all sorts of benefits to the environment, is it time for you to make the switch?
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