The Hidden Danger of Masks in Landfills: A Plant's Perspective

What happens when you toss a disposable face mask into a landfill. Scientists have been looking into this, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic led to a surge in mask use. They found that these masks can break down over time, releasing tiny pieces called microplastics and harmful chemicals into the environment. They mimicked the breakdown process by exposing masks to sunlight and then dunking them in liquid that resembles landfill juice, or leachate. The masks cracked and crumbled with more sun exposure, showing they were aging. This process happened faster in leachate compared to plain water. Using different tools, they found that the microplastics were mainly made of polypropylene. The smaller they got, the more there were. They also checked how this breakdown affects plants. They used onion roots (Allium cepa) as a stand-in for other plants. Roots exposed to landfill leachate from aged masks showed 15% more damage due to increased stress. The leachate from masks aged in landfills also had more heavy metals, which can be really bad for plants. So, throwing masks into landfills can have a nasty impact on plants and the environment. It's a wake-up call to manage our waste better.