Smart Recycling Now
Recycling masks. Building homes for endangered owls. Aidng owl research with ARUs.
Our environment has a huge problem.
In the world, 3 million masks are being thrown away each minute. Globally, 129 billion masks are used every month. Environment Journal estimates that 54 million masks are going into landfills every day.
Even with the pandemic fluctuating, experts predict masks will continue to be used by patients and doctors in hospital settings, nursing homes, and with other vulnerable populations.
And our environment has another problem...
Since 1995, owl populations have decreased by 50% to 75% according to the Biological Conservation Journal. Owls have existed for about 70 million years. This kind of decline must be stopped.
Our solution: building owl boxes from recycled polypropylene from masks will help the endangered owl population.
We have formed a partnership with the only mask recycler in the United States. This recycler will create recycled building products (plastic lumber) from the donated masks, which we will buy at a discounted rate to build homes for the endangered owls that are so important to our ecosystem. These owl boxes will put our mask waste to work while helping us to further develop our appreciation of the environment. Cleaning our streets of discarded masks and caring for our earth in one fell swoop!
Recycle masks. Save owls.
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Recycle
People are surprised to learn that masks aren’t made of paper, but polypropylene. This polypropylene can be recycled into other materials. We must recycle now as Scientific News states, "A newer and bigger concern is that the masks are directly made from microsized plastic fibers. When breaking down in the environment, the mask may release more micro-sized plastics, easier and faster than bulk plastics like plastic bags.”
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Create
With a dwindling population of owls with the cutting of trees and urbanization, we should help the owl and its habitat by creating more owl homes. Owls help farmers and communities by eating rodents and insects, which is a much better way to control infestations. Building owl boxes from recycled polypropylene from masks will help this endangered owl population. We have recently added ARUs (Autonomous Recording Units) to our owl houses to help with field research on owl populations.
How it works
Here are the steps to start Smart Recycling Now in your area:
Fill out this Google Form to register your school or community.
Email your school administrator or community administrator for approval of a face mask recycling bin. You may also ask local merchants, community centers, or anywhere where there is foot traffic.
You will receive an email or whether you will receive a cardboard recycling bin in the mail or you will be notified to purchase a 32 gallon recycle bin (depending on your location).
Print below label out to tape onto the recycle can.
Check periodically on your can and once the garbage can is filled, please take it to our local recycling center partner or mail it to the address on your cardboard recycling box (postage included).
You can repeat the process! With your help, owl houses will be made with recycled material and you can request one for your community.
BY THE NUMBERS
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Smart Mask Recycling Leaders
32
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Total pounds of masks collected
484
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Owl houses built
153