Face Masks Conquered the Oceans

As 2020 goes by, people all over the world have been shocked with the global pandemic COVID-19. It has been almost a year after the first case detected in Malaysia. For record, COVID-19 was first identified in Wuhan in December 2019, meanwhile first case detected in Malaysia was on 4th February 2020 after the 41-year old man returned from Singapore had developed fever and cough.

The gradually research have been done throughout the year to adapt the continuously changed behavior of coronavirus including treatments, vaccination developments, prevention moves, as well as sanitation routines. The standard operation procedures (SOP) had been approved by  World Health Organisation (WHO) and were constructed  equally in all countries such as a one-meter physical distancing, face mask on when in public areas, keep washing hands with soap, keep putting hand sanitizer if no water available, as well as reduce outdoor activities in order to lower the infection risks.

Quarantine moments, movement controlled orders (MCO), face masks and hand sanitizers have been a part of people's new norms. However, the sick attitude of littering cannot be changed although COVID-19 should be a warning for us to be more environmentally friendly. If prior pandemic, plastic bottles, cups, straws, and other single-use plastics have topped among the pollutants, 2020 has created a new item to be included in the charts.

As December 2020, more than 1.5 billions face masks were believed have entered our oceans. The fact was not included the used face masks found terrestrially. For months, we have seen face masks in places they shouldn't be. The marine conservation group has been tracking the number of face masks washing up on a remote island  south of Hong Kong since the pandemic started. What's remarkable is the group were not finding face masks before COVID-19.

Photo: Found during clean-up by Trash Hero Perlis

Another finding during clean-up by Trash Hero Perlis.

The flood of face masks in the sea also affected Malaysia as a maritime country. Although there are no numbers for the record, but the finding from Trash Hero Malaysia monthly clean ups have found the situation similarly occurred here. Masks are made of polypropylene, a type of thin fibers of plastic. Once plastic enters the marine environment, it's very difficult to eliminate. Masks breaking up and produce microplastic. These tiny pieces of plastic can remain in the ocean for hundreds of years, threatening marine life and polluting the air. Dr. Teale Phelps Bandroff, director of research for OceansAsia launched a study to find numbers for this issue.

Photo credited: Courtesy Operation Terre-Mer

Approximately about 52 billion masks have been manufactured worldwide in 2020, it is believed 1.56 billion enter our oceans, resulting in an additional 4680 to 6240 metric tonnes of marine pollution. Bondroff said the report used a conservative loss rate 3% and the average weight of 3 to 4 grams for a single-use polypropylene surgical face mask, to arrive at the estimate (Bondroff, 2020). The 1.56 billion face masks that have entered our oceans will remain in the ocean for 450 years or more. That is important to keep people and environment safe in a long run.

On a beach about 100 metres long, the volunteers could find about 70 masks. While some of the marine debris could be attributed to carelessness, the lightweight masks were at times also being carried from land, boats, and landfills by the wind. The report recommended people to choose reusable masks whenever possible, dispose of masks responsibly and reduce single-use plastic consumption. It also calls on governments to:

1. Implement policies designed to encourage the use of reusable masks, such as releasing guidelines regarding the proper  manufacture and use of reusable masks.
2. Discourage littering by increasing fines as well as educate public about responsible ways to dispose masks.
3. Repair and improve waste management systems to reduce losses and spillage.

As 2021 begins, the new year could bring new hopes to us either the vaccine discovery or the people's point of view about littering. May people accept this kind of awareness and practice responsible waste management for a better world. Please take lessons from history of how coronavirus were developed. Nature is dying. But it's never too late to restore what we have done.