How to be Environmentally Responsible with Your Face Mask

Face masks have been required in most parts of Australia at some point in time during the year and widely recommended everywhere. But despite the fact that billions of people worldwide have been advised to wear face masks, there has been little to no advice on how to be environmentally responsible with them, specifically how to dispose, clean and recycle face masks properly.

As a result, according to the United Nations, even if adequately disposed of properly, about 75% of used masks and other pandemic-related waste, such as gloves and face shields, will end up in landfills or oceans.

The majority of disposable masks are made of long-lasting plastic materials that, if discarded, will survive for decades to hundreds of years in the ground. Evidence suggests that they may lead to high levels of toxic microplastic fibres found on land and in waterways. The plastic endangers ecosystems and increases microplastic waste, which is ingested by marine life and as a by-product consumed by humans.

What’s the Solution?

According to a recent working paper from London’s Plastic Waste Innovation Hub, the UK’s current domestic demand is 24.7 billion face masks per year. However, if only reusable face masks are used, the market for domestic face masks in the UK decreases sharply – to about 136 million a year.

In addition, another study by the University College London measured and compared the total environmental effects of the manufacturing, usage, and disposal of reusable masks with disposable filters. Over the course of a year, they discovered that machine washing reusable face masks without filters had the least effect on the environment.

With this in mind, we should take the following precautions to minimise the adverse environmental effects of wearing a face mask:

1. The best way to tackle this is by keeping a reserve of reusable face masks without disposable filters on rotation. But make sure you machine wash them daily, according to the fabric’s guidance.
2. Keep a backup mask in your bag so that if something goes wrong with the one you’re wearing, you won’t have to use or buy a disposable face mask.
3. If you do use a disposable face mask, take it home and dispose of it in a bin with a lid. Or correctly place it in a public bin if this isn’t possible.
4. Don’t put disposable masks in the recycling. They will get stuck in the specialised recycling machines, posing a biohazard to waste workers.
5. Whatever you do, don’t litter any type of face mask!

Affordable Reusable Face Masks Australia

Biomed has assisted many Australians through the COVID-19 pandemic by distributing high-grade medical mask and providing correct medical information to our customers with the help of medical professionals.

At Biomed, we proudly hold one of Australia’s best medical grade healthcare fabrics for reusable face masks in Australia. Our fabric manufacturing facilities create anti-bacterial fabric blends that are strong and adaptive. Our thoroughly checked and designed face masks offer optimum comfort and flexibility, making them suitable for wear by people of all ages.

Our fabric manufacturing facilities are capable of producing a wide range of face masks in a number of sizes, layers, and configurations. Custom designs, such as logos, can be created by Biomed for any customer. We sell five reusable medical masks in a variety of price ranges and for different applications.

• Bioshield-05
• 5-layer face mask
• 7-layer face mask
• Anti-bacterial face mask
• 3-layer face mask

Healthcare Fabric

Our healthcare fabric manufacturing methods generate healthcare fabrics – also known as healthcare textiles or biomedical textiles – which are a type of medical fabric in which application takes precedence over aesthetics. These healthcare fabrics are used to provide medicinal benefits as well as for sanitation, fitness, and personal care reasons.

Even minor differences in healthcare fabrics may have a major effect on a patient’s wellbeing. As a result, the use of high-quality healthcare fabrics is critical for successful treatment.

Our face masks have some of the most amazing features on the market, such as being latex-free, allergen-free, anti-bacterial, breathable, strenuous-free, and durable for maximum reliability throughout any daily activity.

Stay Safe with BioMed

At Biomed, our mission as professional fabric manufacturers is to create high-quality healthcare fabrics and produce superior fabric manufacturing, which is why we ensure that our business operations always align with our ISO 9001 certification for quality management.

Our dedication to strict Australian fabric manufacturing standards demonstrates the reliability of our products and our commitment to providing our customers with superior products. Our reusable face masks Australia offers a high level of comfort by minimising skin irritations, alongside anti-bacterial and hypoallergenic properties for safety and comfort.

Through the prevention of germs and bacteria, the life of medical products – such as CPAP masks, CPAP Chin Straps, Back Support Braces and many more CPAP Accessories – can be prolonged. As the build-up of bacteria and germs can cause fabrics that are not of a medical-grade, to deteriorate over time and become unsanitary and uncomfortable to wear.

At Biomed, we have a longstanding partnership with ResMed CPAP Supplies to supply medical grade healthcare fabrics for their products, which have offered superior patient comfort for decades. To find out more information on our full range of CPAP Accessories, Face Masks and other Medical-Grade Healthcare Fabrics, please contact our team of Biomed medical fabrics and materials experts on (02) 9758 3855.