# data[].attributes.body
Mask disposed in the mainland shoreline used to flow into this island. Most of these face mask wastes add plastic or microplastic pollution to the environment. This has been widely observed through the coastline of Mauritius Island.

# data[].attributes.body
According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Tamil Nadu had generated 401.29 tons of biomedical waste in August and engaged only eight CBWTFs. N. Mahesan, Chief Engineer, Solid Waste Management, Chennai Corporation was unavailable for comment.

# data[].attributes.location_name
Thiruchinankuppam Housing Board, 탄갈 라자카다이 티루보티유르 첸나이 타밀 나두 인도

# data[].attributes.headline
Thiruchinankuppam Housing Board, 탄갈 라자카다이 티루보티유르 첸나이 타밀 나두 인도

# data[].attributes.subject
Thiruchinankuppam Housing Board, 탄갈 라자카다이 티루보티유르 첸나이 타밀 나두 인도

# data[].attributes.body
On July 6, panic-stricken fishermen from the Thiruchinakuppam road in Tiruvottiyur, Chennai found masks, syringes, blood bags and testing equipment dumped along the seacoast. Biomedical waste has also been traced in the Anakaputhur and Manivakkam lakes (in Chennai). The waterbodies in Vandalur, Otteri Nalla, Porur, Maduravoyal, Muttukadu and Puzhal had always been dumping grounds for medical supplies.

# data[].attributes.body
Before COVID-19, a government hospital bed would generate around half a kg of biomedical waste per day which has now gone up to 3-5 kg (per day). Though the city leads the biomedical waste generation in the state, the handling capacity is only 25 percent,” said Prabhakaran, an environmental engineer at Poovulagin Nanbargal, an environmental group.

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Photo courtesy Prasant Barik, Aahwahan Foundation.

# data[].attributes.body
Around 10, 000 discarded masks, 1050 gloves and PPE kits were found on Mumbai’s Juhu beach in a cleanup drive during May-August

# data[].attributes.body
Madagascar is affected by masks washed ashore from the mainland and microplastics mixed in seawater. Most of these face mask wastes contain either polypropylene and/or polyethylene, polyurethane, polystyrene, polycarbonate, polyacrylonitrile, which add plastic or microplastic pollution to the environment.

# data[].attributes.body
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) study, in USA about 89 million medical masks are anticipated to be required to respond the COVID-19

"-Facemasks contain several forms of microplastics which are virtually indestructible in nature, and can infiltrate organisms, water, and all other aspects of the environment."

# data[].attributes.body
According to estimates by Greenpeace Taiwan, during the apex of the pandemic, from early February to mid May, Taiwan produced and used roughly 1.3 billion surgical masks. Assuming each face mask weighs 4 grams, that’s 5,500 metric tonnes of general waste generated within a span of three months

# data[].attributes.body
When removing a used mask, 7.6% of the population discarded it into a garbage bin without a lid and 22.5% discarded it into a garbage bin in their reach regardless of presence of a lid.

# data[].attributes.body
In 2020, 1.5 billion masks flowed into the sea

# data[].attributes.body
About 6.7 billion masks were produced in Korea alone annually

# data[].attributes.body
Beautiful African print face masks are now available for free distribution in the Central African Republic. Just two months ago, most citizens and health care workers were struggling in getting protective masks as the country was confronted with the spread of coronavirus cases.

Years of prolonged violence and conflict have ravaged the country’s weak health care system, and the COVID-19 (coronavirus) crisis is now shaking the economy and fragile stability, potentially pushing more than 140,000 people into extreme poverty according to recent World Bank estimates.

As the government stepped up its health response to the pandemic, the Central African Republic was one of the first countries on the continent to mandate the use of facial masks. And, like many countries around the world, was faced with a real dearth of masks in local and international markets. In countries where social distancing and confinement are difficult to impose, masks are an essential element of the response.

Extraordinary times required an extraordinary solution. Ten million masks needed to be locally produced with standards respecting World Health Organization guidelines. In record time, the LONDO project, currently the largest cash-for-work program in the country, was able to produce more than 2.4 million masks so far.

# data[].attributes.body
Maria Algarra, the founder of Clean This Beach Up in Miami says that each time they do a beach clean up, they find 50-100 masks, and have even found a mas wrapped around a puffer fish.

# data[].attributes.body
In the United States, disposable medical masks contribute to .6 kt of polypropylene pollution every week.