ReviewEnvironmental challenges (Amsterdam, Netherlands)2021
Environmental challenges induced by extensive use of face masks during COVID-19: A review and potential solutions.
Review in Environmental challenges (Amsterdam, Netherlands), 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 89 papers.
What it found
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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
89 citing papers in PubMed, 379 citations in OpenAlex.
- Thermochemical Characterization and Environmental Ash of COVID-19-Related Medical Waste Disposal.ACS omega · 2026Article
- Spatial distribution and risk assessment of polychlorinated biphenyl compounds from open incineration of used medical disposable face masks.Scientific reports · 2026Article
- Face mask littering: environmental impacts, regulatory challenges, and AI-driven waste management strategies for the postpandemic era.Turkish journal of medical sciences · 2026Review
- Hybrid Mortar Composites Incorporating Oyster Shell Filler and Recycled Fibers from Disposable Masks.Materials (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- Development of a Color-Changing Face Mask for Fever Detection Applications.Materials (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- The environmental impact and sustainability of infection control practices: a systematic scoping review.Antimicrobial resistance and infection control · 2024Article
- Exploring the need for surgical face masks in operating room: a comprehensive literature review.Annals of medicine and surgery (2012) · 2024Review
- Cu-ZnO Embedded in a Polydopamine Shell for the Generation of Antibacterial Surgical Face Masks.Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) · 2024Article
- Understanding of environmental pollution and its anthropogenic impacts on biological resources during the COVID-19 period.Environmental science and pollution research international · 2024Review
- Engineered Electrically Heatable Face Masks for Direct Inactivation of Aerosolized Viruses on the Mask Surfaces.ACS ES&T engineering · 2024Article
- Domestic Facemask Waste Policy Based on Environmental Ethics in the Covid-19 Pandemic: Urgency and Challenges.Risk management and healthcare policy · 2024Article
- Optimization of the Centrifugal Spinning Parameters to Prepare Poly(butylene succinate) Nanofibers Mats for Aerosol Filter Applications.Nanomaterials (Basel, Switzerland) · 2023Article
- Infrastructure in the Age of Pandemics: Utilizing Polypropylene-Based Mask Waste for Durable and Sustainable Road Pavements.Polymers · 2023Article
- Recent Advances in Skin-Interfaced Wearable Sweat Sensors: Opportunities for Equitable Personalized Medicine and Global Health Diagnostics.ACS sensors · 2023Review
- Single-Layer and Double-Layer Filtration Materials Based on Polyvinylidene Fluoride-Co-hexafluoropropylene Nanofibers Coated on Melamine Microfibers.ACS applied nano materials · 2023Article
- Upcycling of surgical facemasks into carbon based thin film electrode for supercapacitor technology.Scientific reports · 2023Article
- Implementation of jute-based nose holder in surgical masks to reduce plastic contamination.Heliyon · 2023Article
- Properties of Composites Based on Recycled Polypropylene and Silico-Aluminous Industrial Waste.Polymers · 2023Article
- Property assessment of an eco-friendly mortar reinforced with recycled mask fiber derived from COVID-19 single-use face masks.Journal of building engineering · 2023Article
- Bacterial cellulose: Nano-biomaterial for biodegradable face masks - A greener approach towards environment.Environmental nanotechnology, monitoring & management · 2023Review
29 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors at 4 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
The ongoing COVID-19 disease significantly affects not only human health, it also affects the wealth of country' economy and everyday routine of human life. To control the spread of the virus, face mask is used as primary personal protective equipment (PPE). Thus, the production and usage of face masks significantly increase as the COVID-19 pandemic still escalating. Further, most of these masks contain plastics or other derivatives of plastics. Therefore, this extensive usage of face masks generates million tons of plastic wastes to the environments in a short span of time. This study aims to investigate the environmental impact induced by face mask wastes and sustainable solution to reduce this waste. An online survey was carried out to identify the types of face mask and number of masks used per week by an individual from 1033 people. Based on this survey and available literature, this study quantifies the amount of plastics waste generated by face masks. However, this survey was limited with certain ages, country and durations (July-August 2020). Thus, the prediction of plastic waste generation, only provide fundamental knowledge about the mask wastes. Results revealed that there is a huge plastic waste remained in land and marine environment in the form of mask waste, which will contribute to micro-plastic pollution. Therefore, this paper also highlights the sustainable approach to the mask production by integrating the use of natural plant fiber in the woven face mask technology to reduce the plastic waste induced by masks. Further, upcycling the mask waste and producing construction materials also discussed.
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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.