1.6 billion disposable masks entered the ocean

[silliessis]

1.6 billion disposable masks entered the ocean in 2020 and will take 450 years to biodegrade

An estimated 1.6 billion disposable masks wound up in the ocean in 2020, creating a vast pile of floating plastic waste and threatening marine life across the planet.

Researchers from Visual Capitalist found that 3 per cent of the 52 billion disposable single-use masks produced to curb the Covid-19 pandemic found their way into the sea.

1.6 billion disposable masks entered the ocean in 2020 and will take 450...

[Caroline]

well more’s comin’ cause i’m seein’ them discarded all over parking lots.

[silliessis]

Ever since society started wearing masks, the cause and effects are being seen on the beaches.”

While some of the debris could be attributed to carelessness, it is speculated that the lightweight masks were at times also being carried from land, boats and landfills by the wind.