0 
CART
Due to COVID-19, people’s lifestyles have drastically changed. Many now work from home, fewer vehicles occupy roads daily, and the idea of shopping or eating out has been favoured less. Seeing those changes, one might argue that our world has benefitted from this pandemic from an environmental standpoint. However, there is a downside to all of this. We cannot ignore the accumulation of waste from one item that’s perfectly emblematic of the new decade: the single-use face mask.
Indeed, single-use face masks and disposable masks are acceptable forms of face-covering to minimise viral transmission, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the U.S. The CDC recommends these for double-masking when one finds themselves in high-risk settings. Unfortunately, these masks can be viewed as a double-edged sword when we look at the bigger picture, given our continual neglect of proper waste management.
Consider the fact that since the start of this pandemic, there have been an estimated 129 billion face masks and 65 billion gloves used globally every month, as revealed in the journal Environmental Science and Technology by the American Chemical Society. Given that humungous number, one can imagine how much of that material goes into bins by the day, by the hour and minute – and how much doesn’t. Or how much escapes the bins.
Where do these microplastics eventually go? They find themselves becoming part of marine food chains, absorbed by fish and other sea creatures that humans consume. If marine animals don’t mistake these toxic particles for food or ingest them, it’s possible for them to die due to becoming tangled in the strings of face masks that have remained intact. Furthermore, many microplastics are tiny enough to pass through filters in our dams and reservoirs, which means they can certainly exist in water bottles from the supermarket or the water we drink from the tap.
REUSABLE MASKS WITH LONG LIFE FILTERS
At AusAir, we offer a range of reusable face masks which are compatible with our range of replacement filters. Each filter lasts up to 28 days, have been independently certified by Nelson Labs. Our masks are capable of filtering over 99% of viral or bacterial particles, dust, pollen and air pollution. We have also designed them to offer superior comfort and fit so they can be worn all day.
We recognise the important societal role we play. We produce and sell tens of thousands of masks and filters each year. Therefore, every decision we make has the ability to make a big impact. Our product road map focuses on creating products, designed using sustainable materials, which are low-impact and eliminate plastic or sustainably upcycle it. We were founded on the simple belief that everyone deserves to breathe safe air. We want to be the best in the world, whilst being the best for the world, and that is why we are committing to a sustainable future as a company. There’s a long way to go and quite a journey ahead, but we refuse to be complicit in the destruction of our planet. We are here to take a stand. We are in a position of power where we can afford to prioritise investment into innovation and technology that enhances eco-friendly practices. Hence, from our standpoint, there is no reason to think we’re all limited in our capacity to save the ocean – and the global environment – from irreversible damage.
Leave a comment
Comments will be approved before showing up.