Analysis of the Optimal Use of Fabric Masks and Disposable Medical Masks During the COVID-19

Medical waste is one of the biggest concerns today due to the need to prevent COVID-19. How to properly handle the large amount of discarded disposable medical masks generated during and after the epidemic, fully understand the need for recycling and disposal of discarded masks, and accelerate the development of new technologies for value-added use have become important issues arising from the new crown epidemic and other respiratory infectious diseases, as well as an urgent requirement to protect the ecological environment. This paper outlines the materials of disposable medical masks and cloth masks, and analyses their impact on society and the environment from the perspective of their own characteristics, so as to give advice on how to choose masks. This paper compares cloth masks and traditional disposable medical masks, discussing the similarities and differences between them in terms of epidemic prevention, the environment, the economics of the product, the psychological burden on the public and the production of the company. The recommendations are based on the effectiveness of the two types of masks and their different handling methods. Finally, the challenges associated with the current use of masks are outlined and a personal view on the replacement of disposable medical masks with cloth masks is given. In the future, the government should expand the use of cloth masks by raising public awareness of the use of sustainable masks, in order to save resources and protect the environment. The aim of this paper is to reduce the environmental and socio-economic impact of masks by discussing the effectiveness, social and economic impact of the two types of masks, so that more people will be guided to use cloth masks.