Chinstrap, a threat to the environment | …

A scientific investigation warned against the “urgent” nature of the recognition of environmental threat posed by chin straps, which may become “the next plastic problem” because “There is no official directive” on recycling, they are therefore more likely to be disposed of as solid waste.

The study published in the specialist journal Frontiers of Environmental Science & Engineering reveals that Disposable chin straps are plastic products that cannot easily biodegradeInstead, they can be fragmented into smaller plastic particles – that is, micro and nanoplastics – which spread throughout ecosystems.

He also points out that the production of these chinstrap is on a scale similar to that of plastic bottles, estimated at 43,000 million per month. However, Unlike plastic bottles (about 25% of which are recycled), chin straps are not recycled.

Other recent studies estimate that a total of 129,000 million masks are used each month worldwide; i.e. 3 million per minute. Most are disposable microfiber plastic chin straps.

Exclusive trash cans for chin straps

Research authors, University of Southern Denmark environmental toxicologist Elvis Genbo Xu, and Princeton University (US) civil and environmental engineering professor Zhiyong Jason Ren, did a series recommendations to this issue. .

They both suggested establishing bins for masks only to facilitate their collection and disposal; consider standardization, guidelines and strict enforcement of mask waste management; replace disposable masks with reusable masks, like those of cotton; and consider it development of biodegradable face masks for disposal.

If not disposed of for recycling, like other plastic waste, disposable chin straps can end up in the environment, in freshwater systems and in the oceans, where inclement weather can generate large numbers of microparticles ( less than 5 millimeters) for a short period (weeks) and fragment into nanoplastics (less than 1 micron).

However, for specialists, there is a bigger and more recent concern: face masks are made directly from plastic fibers of microscopic size. By breaking down in the environment, they can release more microscopic-sized plastics, more easily and faster than bulk plastics, such as plastic bags, the researchers write.

“These impacts can be aggravated by a new generation mask, nanomask, which directly uses plastic fibers of nanometric size (with a diameter of less than 1 micron) and add a new source of contamination by nanoplastics”, explain the experts .

Finally, the researchers stressed that they did not know how masks contribute to the large number of plastic particles detected in the environment “simply because there is no data on the degradation of masks in nature.”

“However, we know that, like other plastic waste, disposable masks can also accumulate and release harmful chemical and biological substances, such as bisphenol A, heavy metals, as well as pathogenic microorganisms. This can have an indirect negative impact on plants, animals and humans, ”concluded Elvis Genbo Xu.