Face masks are necessary during the COIVD-19 to prevent spreading the pandemic, but they are also one of the majorities to harm nature. It is uncountable to calculate how many face masks are thrown away a day-since everyone worldwide uses at least a single face mask per day. What we should endeavor is to resolve this potentially hazardous waste of face masks causing pollution.

Although it is challenging to resolve this environmental dilemma during COVID-19, there are few instances we could focus on to support the ways to recycle the wastes.
For example, a firm named Plaxtil in Chatellerault, center-west France recycles face masks. Plastic aims to recycle and renew the value of face masks instead of ending up incinerated. According to the Plastic, they first collect the face masks and place them in “quarantine” for four days. Then, to ensure that the face masks are completely decontaminated, they are ground down into small pieces and subjected to ultraviolet light. Next, they collect, grind, and mix fabrics of the face masks and transform them into Plaxtil, which is similar to plastic to use in industry. Plastic has been recycling more than 50,000 face masks, producing between 2,000 and 3,000 recycled products since the end of June.

Moreover, let us focus on the recycling method in South Korea. A student named Haneul Kim, from KAYWON UNIVERSITY OF ART & DESIGN, has recently been known for his insightful idea of recycling face masks. He makes chairs by only using disposed face masks. As it sounds impossible, he was the only one to challenge this impossibility. With his passion to combat his challenge, he could successfully make a chair with his resilience. To make a chair, he first makes a chair frame out of aluminum tape that can withstand the heatwave. Then, he puts a face mask on top of it and melts the face mask with a heater. When the chair legs are hardened, he removes them from the frame and again melts them with the mask.

Thus, Mr. Kim 100% uses the face masks to make chairs. With his endless passion for his goal of recycling, he opened a new way to recycle face masks worldwide. Now, we have found a way to resolve the environmental dilemma during COVID-19.

백선우 강남포스트 학생기자  webmaster@ignnews.kr

<저작권자 © 강남포스트, 무단 전재 및 재배포 금지>