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ANSES evaluated the benefits of wearing anti-pollution masks. She could not pronounce with certainty on their full utility.
Should we hide to breathe better? In a May 2018 press release, the World Health Organization (WHO) "estimates that around 7 million people die each year from exposure to fine particles in polluted air." Heart disease, lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or respiratory infections, including pneumonia, are much more common in humans when exposed to air pollution.
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Faced with this worrying situation, at the end of 2015, the Ministries of Health and Labor seized the ANSES (National Agency for Food Safety, Environment and Labor) to evaluate the effectiveness of anti-pollution masks, in order to limit the contamination of the French, both in France and abroad. But in a report released on Wednesday, ANSES reveals "the insufficiency of available data attesting a benefit for the health" masks "said antipollution".
Laboratory tests different from reality
There are currently different levels of protection of the antipollution masks, also known as filtering: FFP1, FFP2 and FFP3. The last category, the most protective, is supposed not to let fine particles pbad.
The Health Safety Agency notes that while the anti-pollution masks sold on the French market protect particles present in the ambient air, this is not the case "against substances present in the gaseous state". However, ambient air pollution is characterized by a complex mixture of particles and gases.
ANSES points out the differences between the tests carried out in laboratories and the reality of the use of the mask: "the effectiveness decreases because of a bad adjustment to the face, the lack of maintenance of the mask, lack of information and user training, intense physical activity, etc. " Some sectors using masks, such as the building, to prevent workers from breathing dust, are trained to wear this protection, but "this control is not guaranteed for the general public," says ANSES.
A false protective feeling
ANSES also notes that the non-protection of a mask (due to misuse, for example) can put those who wear it at risk. This can lead to "a false sense of protection for the user" and lead "possibly to overexposure to pollutants in the air". In fact, the individual no longer pays attention to the protection instructions in case of severe air pollution if he thinks he is protected.
To really solve the health problems related to air pollution, ANSES advises "to act at the source". First of all trying to limit air pollution, then improving the information on it. It also recommends launching reflections in order to "develop occupational exposure limit values specific to ambient air pollution".
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