North Carolina Republicans Vote to Ban All Masks in Public
The Covid-19 pandemic generated up to 7,200 tons of medical waste every day, most of it masks.
Republican senators in North Carolina recently passed a bill that revokes a pandemic-era law permitting the wearing of masks in public for health reasons. The bill, named the “Unmasking Mobs and Criminals” bill, focuses on enhancing penalties for individuals wearing masks during criminal activities or blocking traffic during demonstrations. Despite some Senate Democrats’ objections, the bill passed along party lines in a 30-15 vote.
Critics of the bill, including Democratic Sen. Natasha Marcus, argue that it endangers public health and unjustly criminalizes individuals who wear masks to prevent the spread of communicable diseases. The proposed legislation would eliminate the exemption allowing mask-wearing in public for health and safety reasons. The American Civil Liberties Union of North Carolina has opposed the bill, labeling it as undemocratic and unconstitutional.
Proponents of the bill claim that it is necessary to address escalating demonstrations and clashes with police, particularly at college campuses. However, concerns have been raised about the broad implications of removing pandemic-era mask exemptions and the potential impact on individuals with compromised health conditions.
Environmental Impact of Disposable Medical Masks
In addition to the social and legal implications of this bill, it is crucial to consider the environmental impact of mass medical mask usage. The widespread adoption of disposable masks during the COVID-19 pandemic has led to a surge in single-use plastic waste, contributing to environmental pollution.
According to a study conducted by MIT in 2021, the COVID-19 pandemic was estimated to generate up to 7,200 tons of medical waste every day, a significant portion of which consisted of disposable masks.
It is important to note that these statistics are based on the data gathered during the first six months of the pandemic in the United States and may not include mask usage by the general public.
The study also highlighted the potential benefits of using reusable masks. Fully reusable silicone N95 masks, which are not yet commercially available, could greatly reduce waste.
The researchers estimated that a reusable silicone N95 mask, especially if the filters were also reusable, could potentially reduce costs to $831 million and waste to 1.6 million kilograms.
It’s been proven that masks don’t stop the spreading of any virus 🦠
Hmmm. While I certainly agree with the stated reasons that this bill was passed, I'm not sure that it IS entirely constitutional. Criminals will still wear masks for concealment anyway, so no change there. Protesters/demonstrators do have certain rights, but they should lose any and all leeway as soon as they interfere with traffic, personal liberties, or any other form of infrastructure. We all know how Antifa types are emboldened by wearing masks, so maybe it's a good thing. The Covidians though, they love their masks and will probably put up the biggest fight. They were easily brainwashed into thinking masks are awesome, possibly due to an existing touch of hypochondria. It will take time for some peoples' perception to change on that, so I'm just not sure how easily it can be enforced.