Can we safely reuse disposable face masks? The risks of multiple use, and how to follow the ‘envelope method’ to stay safe
- Many people around the world have been reusing single-use face masks, to save money or reduce waste
- Repeatedly used masks release more microfibres, but they don’t enter the deeper airways, say experts
“Aged disposable masks can release more fibres than new masks,” Robert Landsiedel, vice-chairman of Germany’s Society for Toxicology, says. The fibres generally won’t be inhaled into the deeper respiratory tract and therefore cannot have a harmful effect there. “However, they can possibly irritate the skin, mucous membranes and upper respiratory tract,” Landsiedel says.
Disposable masks are often made of several layers of microfibres made of plastic, usually polypropylene. The Society for Toxicology does not have its own studies on this, but colleagues dealing with it have observed that mainly larger pieces of fibres are released from masks, which do not reach the deeper airways, Landsiedel says.
Researchers came to this conclusion in a study published last year in the World Allergy Organisation Journal.
Surgical masks are thought to retain much of their ability to filter out potential virus particles over repeated use. French consumer watchdog UFC-Que Choisir [“What to Choose”] found surgical masks retained “excellent filtration capacities” even after being washed 10 times at 60 degrees Celsius.