Transforming waste into solutions: Recycling of mouth covers

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the use of disposable facemasks skyrocketed worldwide, generating a large amount of plastic waste. As most of these masks are made of materials that do not decompose easily, such as polypropylene, innovations have emerged to recycle and transform these products into useful materials, thus reducing their ecological footprint.

What are facemasks made of?

Most disposable face masks are made of polypropylene (PP), a type of plastic that can be recycled. Although the structure of these masks is not suitable for traditional recycling, researchers have found innovative methods to reuse them in products with a low environmental impact.

How can face masks be transformed?

1. New useful products

   Disposable face masks, which are mainly made of plastic, can be melted down and turned into new products. This recycled plastic can be used to make items such as flower pots or pallets (the pallets used to move goods). Although these products are not very strong, it is an effective way to give discarded masks a new life and prevent them from ending up in landfills or the ocean.

   
   

2. Construction materials

   Another way to recycle masks is to shred them and mix them with asphalt or concrete. This not only helps reuse masks, but also improves the durability of construction materials. By including small amounts of shredded mastic, asphalt or concrete becomes stronger and more resistant, which is useful in the construction of roads and buildings.

   
   

3. Improving mask plastic with vegetable oil

   An innovative technique involves mixing mask plastic with vegetable oils. This process improves the quality of the plastic, making it stronger and more flexible. With this technique, recycled plastic from face masks can be used to make more durable and useful products in different industries, such as packaging and automotive parts manufacturing. It can even be used in 3D printing to make high-quality objects.

   
   

Why is this important?

These innovations not only help reduce the amount of masks that end up in the trash, but also contribute to a more sustainable economy, where waste is reused rather than discarded. Although mask recycling still has some challenges, these solutions are a big step towards a greener, more responsible future.

If you want to learn more about how masks are recycled, check out the full research here.