Respirators accompany us every day in the corona crisis. But what protects people from the corona virus could be a problem for the environment. Studies by Katarina Schickling, documentary filmmaker and author of "The consumer compass – living well and sustainably does not have to be complicated", have shown that disposable masks, for example, are "a potential environmental sin". In an interview with the news agency spot on news, the expert explains how environmentally harmful conventional fleece masks are and which mouth nose protection is the more ecological alternative.
Disposable masks: Not an environmentally friendly material
"The disposable masks, which you can now get almost everywhere in large packs, feel like a kind of hygienic paper, but are actually made of nonwoven. Fibers are not woven, but otherwise connected. These fibers usually consist of several layers of polypropylene, a plastic that extracted from crude oil. In any case, a minus point for the disposable masks ", Schickling explains about the material composition of disposable masks.
Schickling does not necessarily see the manufacture and delivery of the masks as an environmental problem. It is much more important what happens to the masks after use. "Like other types of plastic, polypropylene has a very long shelf life and does not decompose. Polypropylene therefore remains as plastic waste for many decades and is broken down into the finest particles, microplastics." This has a particular impact on environmental pollution in the oceans. All animals could swallow the microplastic particles, and it could also end up in the groundwater.
Another disadvantage of all disposable masks is the short durability. As soon as they are moistened, they belong in the waste. What many do not know: "Even if polypropylene is itself a readily recyclable plastic – the disposable masks must be disposed of with the residual waste because they are contaminated with germs." Nevertheless, exorbitant prices are still charged for disposable masks. "A cheap item with enormous profit margins is sold here. This is not illegal, but it has nothing to do with responsible, entrepreneurial action," says Schickling.
The more sustainable variant
According to Schickling, the cotton mask variant is also not "completely unproblematic", but is nevertheless a more environmentally friendly alternative. "The cultivation of cotton is extremely water-intensive, especially in countries where water is scarce anyway, because cotton needs a hot, dry climate," explains the author. Added to this is the use of pesticides.
However, many masks are made from material that has already been produced, such as "scraps of fabric that are still lying around at home or the waste that occurs in tailoring". "Because the amount of material for the masks is so small, many small fashion companies, which are badly hit by the Corona crisis, use the mask business as a salvage remnant – this means that the residual carbon masks of these fabric masks are virtually eliminated." Cotton masks are therefore "more likeable" for Schickling.
Clean masks in an environmentally friendly way
However, she emphasizes that environmentally friendly cleaning is also important here. After all, you should also use reusable masks for a long time. "Oven and microwave do poorly in the life cycle assessment. In addition, the germs are dead, but dander, sweat and other dirt are still in the mask," says Schickling.
The most effective method is the washing machine or a wash cycle at 60 ° C. "Absolutely without an ECO program, because that doesn't always reach 60 ° C long enough." It is also important to switch on a full drum, "because only a full washing machine is an ecologically correct one".
Another alternative is boiling out. Simply put the "masks in a saucepan and pour boiling water over them, let them stand for ten minutes. Even more effectively with a teaspoon of detergent," says Schickling. In addition, she recommends cleaning several masks at the same time and heating the water with a kettle. This is most likely to benefit the environment.