Journal
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
Volume 29, Issue 1, Pages 284-292Publisher
SPRINGER HEIDELBERG
DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-17408-3
Keywords
Microplastics; Wet wipes; Disposable surgical masks; COVID-19; Waste management
Categories
Funding
- Innovative Province Construction of Hunan Province [2019RS1025]
- Natural Science Foundation of Hunan Province [2021JJ30125]
- Research and Development Plan of Key Areas in Hunan Province [2022SK2066]
- Scientific Research Project of Hunan Provincial Education Department [20K032]
- National Natural Science Foundation of China [51809088]
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The increasing demand for wet wipes and masks during the global COVID-19 outbreak poses a potential environmental threat due to their plastic fiber composition, which can release microplastic pollution into the environment. Proper handling and disposal of these items are crucial to prevent further ecological damage.
The demand of wet wipes and masks has been rising worldwide since the outbreak of global COVID-19; however, with more reports about improper handling of wipes and masks, their potential threats to the environment are gradually emerging. Wipes and masks are made of a large number of plastic fibers, which are easily broken and fragmented into microplastic fibers under the influence of environmental factors. Weathered wipes or masks can release billions of microplastic fibers, which is a great challenge to the local ecological security. Wipes and masks as new microplastic pollution sources and their potential role in the ecosystem have not been fully recognized and considered. Microplastic fiber pollution is a huge environmental issue, and how to prevent a large number of discarded wipes and masks from entering the environment and how to deal with them are an important issue for all countries and regions in the world. In the post era of global COVID-19, disposable wipes and masks, as new sources of environmental microplastic fiber pollution, should be given concern. It is urgent to recognize this potential environmental threat and prevent it from becoming the next microplastic problem.
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