ArticleUCL open. Environment2021
The impact and effectiveness of the general public wearing masks to reduce the spread of pandemics in the UK: a multidisciplinary comparison of single-use masks versus reusable face masks.
Article in UCL open. Environment, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 29 papers.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
29 citing papers in PubMed, 54 citations in OpenAlex.
- The impact of briefly observing faces in opaque facial masks on emotion recognition and empathic concern.Quarterly journal of experimental psychology (2006) · 2023Trial
- Integrating Alkali Lignin into Electrospun PET Nanofibers for Enhanced Viral Protection in Respiratory Masks.ACS omega · 2026Article
- A new heuristic framework for estimating indirect (Scope 3) emissions of large organizations.Scientific reports · 2025Article
- Factors influencing bacterial viability on face masks and bactericidal effect of disinfection methods.Scientific reports · 2025Article
- Reusable Personal Protective Equipment Viewed Through the Lens of Sustainability.International dental journal · 2024Review
- Release of microplastics from disposable face mask in tropical climate.Regional studies in marine science · 2023Article
- Current knowledge on the presence, biodegradation, and toxicity of discarded face masks in the environment.Journal of environmental chemical engineering · 2023Review
- Carbon footprint assessment of face masks in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic: Based on different protective performance and applicable scenarios.Journal of cleaner production · 2023Article
- Legal obligation in the general population: face mask influence on endophthalmitis after intravitreal injection.Graefe's archive for clinical and experimental ophthalmology = Albrecht von Graefes Archiv fur klinische und experimentelle Ophthalmologie · 2023Article
- Article
- Tracking the impacts of COVID-19 pandemic-related debris on wildlife using digital platforms.The Science of the total environment · 2022Article
- Toward Scaling up the Production of Metal Oxide Nanoparticles for Application on Washable Antimicrobial Cotton Fabrics.ACS omega · 2022Article
- Facile One-Step Synthesis of PVDF Bead-on-String Fibers by Pressurized Gyration for Reusable Face Masks.Polymers · 2022Article
- The environmental impacts of different mask options for healthcare settings in the UK.Sustainable production and consumption · 2022Article
- Can disposable masks be worn more than once?Ecotoxicology and environmental safety · 2022Article
- Impact of coronavirus pandemic litters on microfiber pollution-effect of personal protective equipment and disposable face masks.International journal of environmental science and technology : IJEST · 2022Review
- Green Transformation of Anti-Epidemic Supplies in the Post-Pandemic Era: An Evolutionary Approach.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022Article
- Respirators in Healthcare: Material, Design, Regulatory, Environmental, and Economic Considerations for Clinical Efficacy.Global challenges (Hoboken, NJ) · 2022Review
- Barriers and Enablers to Food Waste Recycling: A Mixed Methods Study amongst UK Citizens.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022Article
- Face Mask Wastes as Cementitious Materials: A Possible Solution to a Big Concern.Materials (Basel, Switzerland) · 2022Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
17 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
During the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the UK government mandated the use of face masks in various public settings and recommended the use of reusable masks to combat shortages of medically graded single-use masks in healthcare. To assist decision-making on the choice of masks for future pandemics, where shortages may not be a contributing factor, the University College London (UCL) Plastic Waste Innovation Hub has carried out a multidisciplinary comparison between single-use and reusable masks based on their anatomy, standalone effectiveness, behavioural considerations, environmental impact and costs. Although current single-use masks have a higher standalone effectiveness against bacteria and viruses, studies show that reusable masks have adequate performance in slowing infection rates of respiratory viruses. Material flow analysis (MFA), life cycle assessment (LCA) and cost comparison show that reusable masks have a lower environmental and economic impact than single-use masks. If every person in the UK uses one single-use mask each day for a year, it will create a total of 124,000 tonnes of waste, 66,000 tonnes of which would be unrecyclable contaminated plastic waste (the masks), with the rest being the recyclable packaging typically used for transportation and distribution of masks. Using reusable masks creates >85% less waste, generates 3.5 times lower impact on climate change and incurs 3.7 times lower costs. Further behavioural research is necessary to understand the extent and current practices of mask use; and how these practices affect mask effectiveness in reducing infection rates. Wearing single-use masks may be preferred over reusable masks due to perceptions of increased hygiene and convenience. Understanding behaviour towards the regular machine-washing of reusable masks for their effective reuse is key to maximise their public health benefits and minimise environmental and economic costs.
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Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.