Face masks invading protected areas: Risks and recommendations

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Ecology
• Conservation Biology

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic has led to increased use of personal protective equipment (PPE), raising concerns about its environmental impact.
• PPE, including face masks and respirator wrappings, has been detected in various ecosystems, including protected areas (PAs).

Purpose of the Study:

• To report the presence and characteristics of PPE pollution in six protected areas (PAs) in Peru.
• To analyze the composition and degradation state of PPE found in these PAs.
• To propose recommendations for mitigating PPE pollution in ecologically sensitive areas.

Main Methods:

• Field surveys were conducted in six PAs in Peru to identify and quantify PPE pollution.
• Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy was used to analyze the material composition of collected PPE samples.
• PPE density was calculated, and visual assessment of degradation was performed.

Main Results:

• PPE, primarily face masks and KN95 respirator wrappings, was found in all six surveyed PAs.
• The mean PPE density was estimated at 1.32 × 10^-3 PPE/m².
• FTIR analysis revealed that PPE materials were mainly polypropylene and polyethylene, showing poor degradation, suggesting recent disposal.

Conclusions:

• Despite Peru's ban on single-use plastics in PAs, PPE pollution remains a significant issue.
• Current measures are insufficient to prevent contamination of ecologically important areas with PPE.
• Recommendations are proposed to address PPE pollution in PAs, aiming to prevent it from becoming a persistent plastic problem, especially during future pandemics.