Pandemic mask mountain sets new recycling challenge

Researchers and companies are looking for ways to put masks to good use, though it is not a very profitable venture at the moment. Photo: zucker66/Istock.com via AFP

Researchers in Australia want to transform single-use Covid masks into road material. In the United States, the protective gear is recycled into benches. And in France, they are reborn as floor carpets for cars.

Used to curb the spread of Covid-19, masks are exacerbating another pandemic: plastic pollution.