Thousands of COVID-19 disposable masks may enter the environment daily.
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Wildlife interactions with disposable masks have been reported in several countries.
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Disposable masks release contaminants with the potential for ecotoxicological effects.
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Monitoring and ecotoxicological studies should be prioritised.
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Mitigation measures should be implemented to control plastic (including masks) pollution.
Abstract
The use of disposable face masks became essential to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in an unprecedented rise in their production and, unfortunately, to a new form of environmental contamination due to improper disposal. Recent publications reported the abundance of COVID-19-related litter in several environments, wildlife interaction with such items, and the contaminants that can be released from such protective equipment that has the potential to induce ecotoxicological effects. This paper provides a critical review of COVID-19 face mask occurrence in diverse environments and their adverse physiological and ecotoxicological effects on wildlife. It also outlines potential remediation strategies to mitigate the environmental challenge impose by COVID-19-related litter.
