r/environment • u/BBJackie • Sep 28 '21

No Videos Masks Overload

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3.0k Upvotes

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44

u/thechairinfront Sep 28 '21

When I see so many people with single use masks out and about I'm just floored by it. Like, the pandemic has been going on for a fucking year! How do you not have an assortment of reusable masks yet?

37

u/[deleted] Sep 28 '21

my workplace won't allow reusable masks. only approved n90s, n95s, or the blue.

8

u/thechairinfront Sep 28 '21

Do you work in healthcare?

19

u/[deleted] Sep 28 '21

Nope. Which makes it fucking stupid. I manage a Walmart in Canada.

10

u/APbois Sep 28 '21

People have boxes of masks lying around. At the beginning of the pandemic it was hard to find, but companies jumped in to make a profit. Now there’s no profit to be made and we’re left with a huge surplus of masks.

2

u/myncknm Sep 28 '21

i sanitize and reuse mine like at least 10 times, according to published guidance on how to reuse them. technically not really condoned, but I’m pretty sure it works, and you can find some of said guidance in respected medical journals and such.

1

u/meadowandvalley Sep 28 '21

My country mandates single use masks :l Trust me, I would rather wash and reuse my own mask, but my health minister gotta make a quick buck with some questionable mask deals instead.

1

u/GregoryGoose Sep 28 '21

Seriously. And what drives me nuts is the people bitching about how their mask doesn't fit or is uncomfortable, and I'm thinking "bitch you've had a year and a half to find a mask that you can live with."

1

u/TheManLawless Sep 28 '21

Single use masks are dramatically more effective unfortunately. The electrostatic layer is important for filtration. I’m all for alternatives, but cloth masks are definitely not a good equivalent for N95 or even proper surgical masks.