Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Pemanfaatan Masker Limbah COVID-19 Sebagai Upaya Mengurangi Pencemaran Lingkungan

This study examines the problem of COVID-19 disposable mask waste in Indonesia and proposes strategies for repurposing mask materials to reduce environmental contamination, discussing the composition of medical masks, the surge in single-use mask demand during the pandemic, and the environmental hazards of improper mask disposal.

2022 Metode Jurnal Teknik Industri 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Environmental Rehabilitation in Waste Management Disposable House-hold Medical Mask

Not relevant to microplastics — this paper discusses legal and procedural frameworks for managing disposable medical mask waste in Indonesia during the COVID-19 pandemic.

2023 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Understanding Level of Pkk Banjar Purwa Santhi Benoa on Medical Mask Waste Management and Strengthening Health Protocols in Controlling COVID-19 Infection

Researchers assessed community understanding of single-use medical mask waste management in Bali, Indonesia during COVID-19, finding gaps in knowledge that raise concerns about both environmental pollution and continued virus transmission from improper disposal.

2023 INDONESIAN JOURNAL OF URBAN AND ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY 1 citations
Article Tier 2

The Role of Women in Management of Mask Waste in Indonesia in the Era of the Covid-19 Pandemic

This study examined the role of women in managing disposable mask waste during the COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia, finding that women played a critical role in household waste sorting and proper disposal that reduce environmental contamination.

2023 Proceeding of International Conference on Business Economics Social Sciences and Humanities
Article Tier 2

Distribution of B3 Waste Temporary Hazardous Waste Storage Locations For Handling Disposible Mask Waste In Kampung Kenanga Kelurahan Sungai Jingah

This Indonesian-language paper discusses how to properly classify and manage disposable mask waste — which is considered infectious medical waste — during the COVID-19 pandemic. Improper disposal of single-use masks is a growing source of plastic pollution. Establishing dedicated temporary storage locations for mask waste is one step toward preventing it from entering the environment as microplastic pollution.

2021
Article Tier 2

COVID-19 감염병 확산에 따른 일회용 마스크의 적정 관리 방안 연구

This Korean study examined the management problems with single-use face masks discarded during COVID-19, finding that masks contain microplastic components such as polypropylene fibers that can persist in the environment. The study called for better disposal protocols to prevent mask-derived microplastics from entering ecosystems.

2021 한국폐기물자원순환학회지
Article Tier 2

Disseminating the Biomedical Waste Generation Scenario During Covid-19: an Overview from the Lower Middle Income Country Bangladesh

This study quantified biomedical waste generated during the COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh, estimating that about 158 million face masks were disposed of in urban areas alone during the study period, generating 517 tons of solid waste. Pandemic-related medical waste adds a significant burden of plastic pollution, including microplastic-shedding personal protective equipment.

2021 American International Journal of Nursing Education and Practice
Article Tier 2

Identifikasi Bakteri Pendegradasi Polipropilen Pada Limbah Masker Dari Tpa Piyungan

This Indonesian study identified bacteria capable of degrading polypropylene in disposable face mask waste collected from a landfill. Bacteria that can break down synthetic polymers offer a potential biological tool for reducing microplastic formation from the large volumes of mask waste generated during the COVID-19 pandemic.

2023 Jurnal Sains Dasar
Article Tier 2

Knowledge, attitudes, and behaviour of college students in disposing used masks during the COVID-19 pandemic in DKI Jakarta Province

Not relevant to microplastics — this study surveys knowledge, attitudes, and behavior of Jakarta college students regarding disposal of used face masks during the COVID-19 pandemic, without addressing microplastic contamination from masks.

2024 F1000Research 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Surveying Medical Mask Waste Generation in Can Tho University, Vietnam

This paper is not about microplastics; it surveys how students at a Vietnamese university use and dispose of medical face masks, finding poor waste classification practices and generating estimates of daily mask waste volumes.

2023 Indonesian Journal of Environmental Management and Sustainability
Article Tier 2

Review of the valorization options for the proper disposal of face masks during the COVID-19 pandemic

Researchers reviewed waste management options for the surge in discarded polypropylene face masks during COVID-19, finding that improper disposal contributes directly to microplastic pollution, and proposing valorization strategies — including energy recovery and material upcycling — tailored to country-level infrastructure and emergency conditions.

2021 Environmental Technology & Innovation 68 citations
Article Tier 2

Personal protective equipment use during COVID-19 pandemic and associated waste management in households in Sri Lanka

Researchers estimated that COVID-19 PPE use in Sri Lanka generates approximately 88.5 tonnes of plastic waste daily, with 55% of facemasks disposed via open burning at homes, and identified major gaps in PPE waste management infrastructure while proposing pyrolysis-based energy recovery strategies.

2022
Article Tier 2

Managing Mask Waste in the New Normal Era

This literature review examines mask waste management during the COVID-19 pandemic, finding that used masks and other personal protective equipment have become a major contributor to global waste and infectious disease risk, with community education and local government oversight identified as essential for proper disposal.

2023 Interdisciplinary Social Studies 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Face masks as environmental risk: An observational study using street - Survey in Hisar District of Haryana State

Researchers conducted an observational field survey of littered face masks in 10 localities across Hisar District, Haryana, India, quantifying the density of discarded personal protective equipment during the COVID-19 pandemic. They found an overall density of 0.81 masks per 100 square meters, with 52% being single-use surgical masks containing plastic, highlighting improper disposal as a growing source of plastic pollution in developing countries.

2022 Ecology Environment and Conservation 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Mascarillas faciales: contaminación ambiental, efectos toxicológicos, posibles soluciones y políticas globales

This review examined the environmental contamination, toxicological effects, and global policy responses related to face mask pollution generated during the COVID-19 pandemic, documenting how the surge in mask use following the WHO declaration created a new source of plastic waste and microplastic pollution.

2022 Encuentro Internacional de Educación en Ingeniería 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Comparative Analysis of Face Mask Usage and Environmental Impact in Asian Cities during and after the COVID-19 Pandemic

This comparative analysis examined face mask usage patterns and their environmental impact across Asian cities, estimating the volume of mask waste generated and the resulting microplastic and fiber pollution from improper disposal.

2024 Sustainability 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Potential Impact of Disposable Mask Garbage Pollution in Cinere District

This Indonesian study estimated that residents of Cinere District used about 2 disposable masks per day per person, generating an estimated 76,494 mask waste items per day. Extrapolation suggested this could release approximately 67 billion microplastic particles per day into the environment if improperly disposed.

2023 Jurnal Penelitian Pendidikan IPA
Article Tier 2

Kebijakan Pengelolaan Limbah Medis Pasca COVID-19 Di Indonesia Dan Implikasinya Terhadap Ekosistem Laut

This paper analyzes Indonesia's medical waste management policies after the COVID-19 pandemic and their implications for environmental and public health. It reviews the regulatory framework and identifies gaps in implementation that need to be addressed.

2024 Wacana Jurnal Ilmu Sosial dan Ilmu Politik Interdisiplin
Article Tier 2

Determinants of Face Mask Waste Management as a Health Behavior to Protect the Environment

A survey of Indonesian parents found that most people have sufficient knowledge and a supportive attitude toward proper face mask disposal, yet lack access to dedicated disposal infrastructure such as mask waste bins or waste banks. Since disposable masks are made primarily of polypropylene, improper disposal contributes to microplastic formation in the environment. The study identifies access and structural barriers — not just awareness — as the key obstacles to preventing mask-derived microplastic pollution.

2023 International Journal of Medical Science and Clinical Research Studies
Article Tier 2

Research on Design Strategy of Mask Recycling Service Based on Behavior Environment

This Chinese design research study proposed a service system for collecting and properly disposing of used face masks, which surged in volume during the COVID-19 pandemic. Masks are made from polypropylene microfibers that can become environmental microplastics if not managed properly after disposal.

2023 Sustainability 1 citations
Article Tier 2

From Protection to Pollution: The Impact of Mask Use on Micro(nano)plastic Release

This bibliographic review found that global mask consumption during COVID-19 reached as high as 2.5 trillion single-use masks per month, with Asia as the largest consumer, and documented how improper mask disposal releases microplastics and nanoplastics into terrestrial and aquatic environments.

2025 Journal of the Brazilian Chemical Society
Article Tier 2

An urgent call to think globally and act locally on landfill disposable plastics under and after covid-19 pandemic: Pollution prevention and technological (Bio) remediation solutions

This review examines how the COVID-19 pandemic worsened plastic pollution through massive increases in landfilled disposable masks and other protective equipment, estimated at 3.5 million metric tonnes in the first year alone. Researchers warn that improperly managed pandemic waste could release trillions of microplastics into the environment. The study highlights innovative waste management and bioremediation technologies that could help mitigate the long-term environmental impact.

2021 Chemical Engineering Journal 109 citations
Article Tier 2

Domestic Facemask Waste Policy Based on Environmental Ethics in the Covid-19 Pandemic: Urgency and Challenges

This paper argues that the mass disposal of face masks during the Covid-19 pandemic created a new source of plastic and microplastic pollution, and calls for environmental ethics-based policy frameworks to govern mask waste management.

2024 Risk Management and Healthcare Policy
Article Tier 2

The Massive Misuse of Face Mask as a Risk to COVID-19 Pandemic in Latin American: The Case of Mexico

Researchers examined face mask waste mismanagement during the COVID-19 pandemic in Mexico and Latin America, finding that inadequate waste management infrastructure, poor public compliance, and high single-use mask consumption created significant environmental contamination risks in already strained waste systems.

2021 7 citations