Study: Disposable masks are harmful for the environment
A disposable face mask is thrown away on a grass during coronavirus pandemic in Krakow, Poland on May 13, 2021. (Photo by Beata Zawrzel/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Could the masks you wear daily for coronavirus protection cause harm to the environment and to you? According to a new study from the United Kingdom, the answer is yes.
Researchers at Swansea University say daily disposable masks could contain toxins that end up dumped into the environment.
The scientists say significant amounts of toxins, such as lead, copper, and antimony have been found in masks.
Several different brands of mask were tested in water, which models environments similar to trash cans or litter, and said merely exposing the masks to water could release hidden toxins.
An Oceans-Asia estimate believes that one-and-a-half billion masks entered our oceans in 2020.
The study was published in the journal Water Research.
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