A new peer-reviewed study in the scientific journal Water Research has called for a full investigation into face masks as it raises serious questions about their safety for daily use and their impact on the environment.
The study, “An investigation into the leaching of micro and nano particles and chemical pollutants from disposable face masks – linked to the COVID-19 pandemic“, investigated the impact of disposable plastic facemasks (DPFs) on the environment by submerging masks from seven different manufacturers in water then testing the water for chemicals. The researchers found lead, cadmium, antimony and various plastic and organic substances in the water. They expressed concerns about the contribution disposable face masks are making to the world’s plastic problem.
While the focus of the study was on the impact on the environment, the authors were clear about the implications of their findings for the safety of masks for public health. They write: “The toxicity of some of the chemicals found and the postulated risks of the rest of the present particles and molecules, raises the question of whether DPFs are safe to be used on a daily basis and what consequences are to be expected after their disposal into the environment.”
The problems arise from both the toxicity of the chemicals present and how easily they detach from the mask. The authors call for a full investigation into the risks to the environment and public health.
There is a concerning amount of evidence that suggests that DPFs waste can potentially have a substantial environmental impact by releasing pollutants simply by exposing them to water. DPFs release small physical pollutants such as micro and nano size particles; mainly consistent with plastic fibres and silicate grains, which are well documented to have adverse effects on the environment and public health. In addition to the physical particles, harmful chemicals such as heavy metals (lead, cadmium and antimony), and organic pollutants are also readily released from the DPFs when submerged in water. Many of these toxic pollutants have bio-accumulative properties when released into the environment and this research shows that DPFs could be one of the main sources of these environmental contaminants during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. It is, therefore, imperative that stricter regulations need to be enforced during manufacturing and disposal/recycling of DPFs to minimise the environmental impact of DPFs.
Secondary to environmental concerns, there is a need to understand the impact of such particle leaching on public health, as all DPFs released micro/nano particles and heavy metals to the water during our investigation. One of the main concerns with these particles is that they were easily detached from face masks and leached into the water with no agitation, which suggests that these particles are mechanically unstable and readily available to be detached. Therefore, a full investigation is necessary to determine the quantities and potential impacts of these particles leaching into the environment, and the levels being inhaled by users during normal breathing. This is a significant concern, especially for health care professionals, key workers, and children who are mandated to wear masks for large proportions of the working or school day (6–12 hours).
The full article is behind a paywall but the abstract is publicly available and can be found here.
Looks like the makings of another public health calamity with the potential for some very expensive litigation. If I was in Government, given how weak the evidence is for their effectiveness, I’d be looking at phasing face masks out round about now.
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Yet more good news for Fishy the WEF stool pigeon. I predict a plum job inside the organisation when he becomes the first Conservative PM in 120 years to return less than 100 MP’s at a general election. What an accolade. And Kneel will jump on board to further immiserate the country and its people before he departs for his preferred place of work – Davos.
It’s all coming along nicely for them.
How can we be so collectively dumb to keep putting an X in abox for these squirming parasite UN lackeys that have long since serving the public, and now bend over the bonnet of EV’s to be shafted up the a.. by the Davos deviants, as you often call them.
Tri Lateral Kneel let’s not forget ! One of their own !
And there was me thinking road tax went on, well, roads! I guess I’m too old fashioned.
This guy is a star. I won’t vote. Fu+k the establishment.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gkqr2lbTcyM
It’s the most powerful message you can send. The only message they’ll hear: We see you. We are not playing. We are coming.
“The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) – the Government’s fiscal watchdog – estimates the Treasury’s receipts from VED at £8bn in 2023-24, up from £6.7bn in 2020/21. Adjusting for the 570,000 extra drivers on British roads, this works out to a 17.4pc increase per head.”
Bloody hell! So along with all the other freebies given to immigrants we are now giving them a free car on arrival. No wonder the boats keep coming.
Eh what? Is that real or are you just winding me/us up?
Bloody hell I hope it’s a BEV!
Oh no. That would be impractical without off-street parking.
Well if you are a politician, a civil servant an advisor living in the hallowed Westminster, EU, etc, you don’t need a car, because you have a car provided by us the tax payer with a driver, and when you aren’t using that you are in London with all your ilk, and don’t move out of the little bubble you live in, apart from when you need to visit the proles, then its a tax payer funded car and driver, Helicopter or jet.
They don’t care about us, they care about their place in the political world, how they appear to the WEF boys and where theie next big opportunity is to make bucks for themselves.
Seconded
Never mind driving costs WHAT ABOUT Humza Useless & his pay off – Ready ? Well it’s £52K a year for the rest of his life !!
FFS!
You can tolerate a lot of abuse over a couple of months if you know that at the end you can walk away safe in the knowledge that you have 52 grand for life to look forward to.
He knew he wasn’t up to the job of FM, and I did wonder if there was a period of ‘time in post’ to qualify for that obscene level of pension…and he hung on till he decided to ditch the Greens.
It is not just a war on the motorist, it is a war on the whole standard of living of the people in the wealthy west. But ofcourse the car is the one really big example of our wealth. A private vehicle can take us from our front door to anywhere in the country and the Sustainable Development Collectivists at the UN and WEF hate that. They think a bus, train or bicycle should be all we need. The excuse for the lowering of our standard of living is always “climate change”, the biggest pseudo scientific fraud ever perpetrated, and yet huge chunks of the population really think there is a climate emergency, because they hear it nearly everyday on their 6 O’clock News. ——How can people hardly believe a word coming from the mouths of politicians on almost everything, but when it comes the climate they seem to swallow it all down whole? ——The answer it seems is endless propaganda and scaremongering often referred to as “science”
One group that is fighting for the rights and freedoms of all motorists is the Alliance of British Drivers (ABD.org.uk). Please support them and preferably become members.
Yup I am a member.