The South Korean government has finally lifted the indoor mask mandate for the first time in more than two years. People in Korea are no longer mandated to wear a mask in most indoor facilities including schools and supermarkets, with medical facilities being the only exception. Despite how everyone is ready to bid their farewells to masks, it is too soon for people to completely let their guards down. The lift of regulations will naturally lead to a drop in the use and purchase of face masks, but the discarded masks are likely to cause severe environmental pollution. Immediate solutions are yet to be found.

Due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, masks have slowly become a part of daily life. Even today, it is still quite common to spot people wearing masks, not just in crowded indoor settings but also outdoors, such as while exercising in parks. Yet, Korea has gradually been lifting mask mandates as a part of the government’s three-phase plan titled “Living with COVID-19,” starting with the adjustment of outdoor mask mandates in May 2022. With the indoor mask rules finally being lifted in January 2023, Korea is no longer the only country in the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) that requires masks to be worn in all public indoor settings.

Discarded Masks: An Environmental Disaster

As the world moves toward a new phase of moving on from a pandemic to an endemic, there are several unforeseen concerns and consequences following this transition. For instance, seeing a used face mask littered on the ground has become more common these days with the lift of the mask mandates. At the peak of the global health crisis, the fact that disposable face masks could become environmental pollutants was not a pressing concern due to their perceived role in preventing the spread of COVID-19. According to a paper written by lead author Jang Yong-Chul in 2021 titled “Material flow and characteristics of single-use face masks in Korea during COVID-19 pandemic,” approximately 6.7 billion disposable masks were used in Korea in 2020, out of which 3.8 billion were incinerated and 2.1 billion were buried.

It is to be noted that masks are not recyclable as they are medical products intended for single use only. According to an academic journal published by lead author Francesco Saliu titled “The release process of microfibers: from surgical face masks into the marine environment,” a single face mask releases 173,000 microfibers into our oceans. As masks are mainly made of polypropylene (PP), this means that it takes more than 450 years for them to be fully decomposed in the ground, and microplastics produced during the process pollute the ecosystem. Furthermore, according to the United States (U.S.) Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), incinerating one ton of masks produces 3.07 tons of greenhouse gases, which is more than the 2.25 tons that plastic bottles release into the air.

Responses and Solutions

To help resolve the environmental disaster at hand, many efforts have been made by various groups of people. For example, the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission (ACRC), a government entity, came up with a policy proposal regarding masks. On their website, they mentioned how they hope to enhance eco-friendly production and distribution of masks, strengthen public relations on how to dispose of it after use, and improvement of used mask treatment while setting up a collection system to encourage upcycling. However, soon after the proposal was published, the Ministry of Environment (MOE) expressed concerns regarding the difficulties of recycling masks, as it may cause secondary infection. In an interview with MBN News, the MOE promised to investigate price efficient measures tackling face mask waste with the lift of the indoor face mask obligations; they believe it is time to shift focus from concerns of infection to the seriousness of environmental pollution.

Prior to this, some public institutions and companies had already been working on mask recycling. The Seoul branch of the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA), which is a government agency under the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW), is a prime example. According to Chosun Ilbo, they installed a used mask collection box on the first floor of the company building in October 2022, which was recycled by JJAY Global, the first company in Korea to establish a systematic used mask collection network. The masks were melted and used as raw material for various plastic products ranging from flowerpots to pet supplies.

Additionally, individuals can always play a part in contributing as well, such as using masks that are made from reusable plastic. One might even take the extra step and recycle masks by removing the metal strip and strings before throwing them away. The example of how Korean furniture design student Kim Ha-neul repurposed masks to make three-legged stools, which were displayed in his graduation exhibition, was widely praised for its social impact and attempt to upcycle. According to Reuters, he set up a mask collection box and gathered more than 10,000 discarded masks in his school, Kaywon University of Art and Design, and received more than one ton of defective masks from a factory. He hopes his work can inspire the government to set up used mask collection boxes for easier upcycling.

Although the worst times are allegedly over, COVID-19 has left concerns and tasks that are yet to be solved. Pandemic waste, which not only includes masks, but also other healthcare plastic waste, such as personal protective equipment (PPE) and even COVID-19 test kits, is predicted to become a major problem as they will not magically disappear. In the new phase of moving on from a pandemic, most people are not aware of the concerns and consequences that follow this transition. There exist some further duties to be addressed, such as the price inefficiency of the procedure of collecting and recycling disposed masks. More social awareness is necessary to find solutions.