What ecological factors are relevant for the ecological sustainability of masks
With the COVID-19 pandemic, questions about the environmental sustainability of facemasks raise with the increasing global demand. Many initiatives arose to develop new types of reusable textile masks in order to overcome a shortage of surgical masks for the health care personnel and for the civil society. Currently on the market, there are different types of one-way surgical masks and different types of washable textile masks, also called community masks.
In this context we asked ourselves: What factors define their environmental sustainability?
We started with aLife-Cycle-Assessment (LCA) comparing surgical masks and 2-layered cotton masks. The aim of our research was to identify and understand the relevant ecological factors in order to support decision making on how textile masks could be designed in a more sustainable manner.
The results showed that the cotton masks were performing better than the surgical masks and vice versa depending on the environmental impact that was looked at. It was also found that the lifespan and the weight of the cotton masks are two variables having a great importance for their overall environmental performance.
Due to the limitations of this study and the complexity of the topic with different designs and materials of community and surgical masks, more in depth studies are needed. Besides the environmental performance, other aspects that are not part of an LCA are relevant, for example, concerns about other environmental aspect such as littering of surgical masks is increasing. Is this a threat to public health and are bio-based and biodegradable materials a solution?
Publication: Cotton and Surgical Masks—What Ecological Factors Are Relevant for Their Sustainability?
Media Release: Disposable or fabric? Here is what matters.
TV report (SRF): Ökobilanz Masken: Studie der Empa überrascht.
Collaboration with Remask
Collaboration with SUBITEX