French company Geochanvre began producing hemp face masks as an alternative to disposable plastic masks.
An estimated 129 billion disposable masks and 65 billion gloves are used and discarded worldwide monthly. Geochanvre sees hemp masks as a way to reduce pandemic plastic waste.
Founder and president Frédéric Roure told Reuters TV it was perverse not to ban polyethylene products shipped worldwide and emphasized local agricultural materials.
“This is a natural product, and it will return to the soil.”
The mask's lining uses a corn-based blend for comfort, and its elastic band is fully recyclable.
Customers, mostly in Europe and Canada, had purchased 1.5 million hemp masks since March.
A study in Environmental Science and Technology estimated monthly worldwide use of 129 billion disposable masks and 65 billion gloves. Most disposable protective equipment is made from plastics such as polypropylene, polyethylene and vinyl.
According to campaign group Waste Free Oceans, plastic masks reaching the ocean can take up to 450 years to decompose.
Biodegradable masks from materials such as hemp or wood fibers could prevent this pollution. While protecting themselves from viruses, people carelessly polluting nature may face a heavier cost in coming years.
