Scientists have found a way to reduce the environmental impact of disposable masks by turning them into roads.

It is estimated that during the pandemic, 6.8 billion disposable masks were used every day in the world, but they ended up being landfilled or polluting our oceans.

But a new study by the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) in Australia found that for every kilometer produced on a two-lane road, up to 3 million masks can be recycled. This can save up to 93 tons of waste.

This study is the first of its kind to explore the potential of using disposable surgical masks in civil construction.

"This preliminary study looks at the feasibility of recycling disposable masks on the road. We are pleased to find that it is not only effective, but also brings real engineering benefits," said author Dr. Mohammad Saberian.

No need to be too technical, the road consists of four layers: roadbed, foundation,

Bottom layer and asphalt-top layer. In this study, shredded masks were used in the grassroots.

The three base layers of the pavement can all be made of so-called "recycled concrete aggregate" (RCA), which is basically reused building rubble.

It was found that a mixture of 1% mask and 99% RCA is the best mixture, providing a super-durable base material for roads and meeting all civil engineering requirements. More importantly-this mixture actually provides a solution to two environmental challenges.

According to research, construction, renovation and demolition account for about half of the world’s annual waste. Therefore, using some construction waste to make RCA for roads also helps to reduce the amount of landfill.

Although the masks in the experiment were not used, other studies investigated effective methods for disinfection and sterilization of used masks.

A comprehensive review of the disinfection technology found that 99.9% of the viruses can be killed by a simple "microwave method", that is, spray disinfectant on the mask and heat it in a microwave for one minute.

The review also showed that disinfection of discarded PPE at the source (in the hospital/operating room) is more effective and can prevent the spread of diseases such as COVID-19 to subsequent waste disposers.

Researchers at RMIT also studied the use of shredded disposable masks as a polymer material for making concrete. This research also yielded promising early results.

The research team of the School of Engineering of RMIT University, led by Professor Li Jie, focuses on recycling and reusing waste materials for civil construction.

"We know that even if these masks are properly disposed of, they will be landfilled or incinerated," he said.

"The COVID-19 pandemic has not only caused a global health and economic crisis, but it has also had a huge impact on the environment.

"If we can bring circular economy thinking into this huge waste problem, we can develop the smart and sustainable solutions we need."