Face Mask Wastes as Cementitious Materials: A Possible Solution to a Big Concern

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Environmental Engineering
• Waste Management

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a significant increase in surgical mask waste, posing environmental risks.
• Disposed masks contribute to pollution and microplastic contamination in water systems.
• Current waste management strategies are insufficient for the scale of mask production.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the feasibility of incorporating surgical waste masks (WM) into cement as a construction material.
• To evaluate the mechanical and microstructural properties of mortars containing WM.
• To assess the potential of this approach for managing large volumes of mask waste.

Main Methods:

• Surgical waste masks (WM) were added to cement at varying percentages (up to 5% by weight) without pre-treatment.
• Mechanical characterization, including strength and durability tests, was performed on the resulting mortars.
• Microstructural analysis was conducted to understand the material's behavior.

Main Results:

• Incorporating WM into cement led to a decrease in overall mechanical properties (strength and durability).
• Mortars with up to 5% WM showed acceptable aesthetic qualities.
• Flexural strength was not significantly impacted, and key performance parameters remained reasonable for practical applications.
• Utilizing WM in less than 1% of global cement production could significantly reduce mask waste.

Conclusions:

• Surgical waste masks can be integrated into cement-based materials, offering a potential waste valorization pathway.
• While mechanical properties are slightly reduced, the resulting mortars retain acceptable performance for certain applications.
• This approach presents a viable strategy for mitigating the environmental impact of surgical mask waste through circular economy principles.