MAKING BRICK USING MASK

ABSTRACT

In the world full of crises, also the rising demand for PPE suits and masks would lead to
another wave of biomedical waste disposion crises. Globally we end up using 129
billion disposable face masks, which means we are using 3 million face masks per
minute. Facemasks are the new normal, and single-use face masks are widely used. But,
once they are disposed of, they end up as medical waste which eventually goes into a
landfill. Further, most of these masks contain plastics or other derivatives of plastics.
Therefore, this extensive usage of face masks generates million tons of plastic wastes to
the environments in a short span of time. There is a huge plastic waste remained in land
and marine environment in the form of mask waste, which will contribute to micro-
plastic pollution. Most of these face mask wastes contains either polypropylene and/or
polyethylene, polyurethane, polystyrene, polycarbonate, polyacrylonitrile, which add
plastic or microplastic pollution to the environment . This indicates that current ongoing
pandemic, increases the environmental pollution and negative impact to human and
animal health.

In order to identify the mask disposal method, a survey question was generated with six
general disposal methods: 1) disposed into the mixed waste bin; 2) disposed into the
hazardous waste bin; 3) burning; 4) flush in toilets; 5) wash and disposed into mixed
waste bin; and 6) throw away. It shows that about 34% and 11% individuals dispose the
mask as the mixed waste and hazardous waste, respectively. This indicates that about 45%
of them appear to be extremely responsible for the solid waste that they produce. Whereas
19% individuals recklessly throw away the face masks in the street and 12% of people are
wash and dispose the mask. This has the potential to create the environmental issues due
to its indecomposable nature. Consequently, has high possibilities in creating a future
global warming issue. About 3% of people flush the mask in toilets while 10% people
burn the mask. This 10% of individuals are responsible for the contamination of the air by
the releasing adverse compounds into the atmosphere. Ultimately, this phenomenon could
create chronic respiratory illness. Further, it can also cause entanglement, which lead to
death in aquatic fauna like birds and other under water animals. Hence, bio accumulation
of such microplastic occurs in the major food web to human existence and cause
accumulation of toxins. This causes not only detrimental environmental effects, but also
economic and social effects.

Therefore, sustainable solutions need to reduce the environmental impacts, while meeting
the mask demand. By studying we basically concluded that material the masks are made
of, a non-woven fiber, by mixing them with “special binders”. It makes them 4 times
stronger than a traditional mudbrick. To begin full-fledged manufacturing of the bricks,
we will be placing bins in different locations such as hospitals, police stations, and bus
stops.These bins will collect the PPE and face masks. As per the Central Pollution
Control Board (CPCB) guidelines we will keep the material in isolation for 72 hours .
Once its brought to our premise, we will disinfect it, and then tear it down into small
pieces. It is then mixed with the binder and our paper waste. It will be then moulded in the
desired moulds and naturally dried.