Recycled face masks could be used to make roads and pavements after scientists discovered the unexpected benefits of the used PPE material in construction.
February 03, 2021
Could be a viable alternative to deal with pandemic-generated waste, say researchers Researchers at RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia, have carried out a study to show how disposable face masks could be recycled to make roads.
According to the researchers, this could be a viable alternative to deal with pandemic-generated waste.
Their study demonstrated that using the recycled face mask material to make just one km of a two-lane road would use up about 3 million masks, preventing 93 tonnes of waste from going to landfill.
For this, the researchers have developed a new road-making material that is a mix of shredded single-use face masks and processed building rubble designed to meet civil engineering safety standards.
Disposable face masks can be recycled to make roads to tackle COVID-generated waste, says study ANI | Updated: Feb 02, 2021 21:39 IST
Melbourne [Australia], February 2 (ANI): Researchers have shown how disposable face masks could be recycled to make roads, in a circular economy solution to pandemic-generated waste.
Their study shows that using the recycled face mask material to make just one-kilometre of a two-lane road would use up about 3 million masks, preventing 93 tonnes of waste from going to landfill.
Developed by researchers at RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia, the new road-making material is a mix of shredded single-use face masks and processed building rubble designed to meet civil engineering safety standards.