Environmentally friendly non-medical mask: An attempt to reduce the environmental impact from used masks during COVID 19 pandemic

During COVID-19 pandemic, wearing a mask has become a usual custom as a personal protection in every activity. The growth in consumption of face masks leads the increasing of mask waste and became a particular problem in environment. This study uses analytic hierarchy process (AHP) to determine appropriate material for making environmentally friendly non-medical mask. Filtration efficiency, breathability, and environmental impact index are defined as main criteria and carried out 26 alternative material from previous study. AHP presents a ranking of priority for all the alternative materials with Quilt and Cotton 600 TPI are the best values and fulfilled the material characteristics required by WHO. The sensitivity analysis generates some material with constant global priority results, such as Quilt, Cotton 600 TPI, Quilting cotton, Polycotton, and Polypropylene fabric 1. Quilting cotton with woven structure becomes the third ranking of alternative material, and Polypropylene fabric 1 is the worst material for making environmentally friendly non-medical mask.
Graphical abstract Selection for material alternative for environmentally friendly non-medical masks to reduce environmental impact caused by increasing mask waste during COVID-19 pandemic.Unlabelled Image
Highlights • Increasing the consumption of masks during the pandemic of COVID 19 leads the mask waste and environmental problem. • Cloth mask as personal protection become a usual custom. • Various alternative material cloth properties for making non-medical masks. • Selection alternative material based on filtration efficiency, breathability, and environmental impact. • Environmentally friendly cloth material for mask to reduce the environmental impact from used masks.