When COVID-19 ravaged the globe, disposable face masks became a instant necessity and a sign of protection. They provided a layer of protection against the spread of the virus, it became mandatory in most settings, and were mass-manufactured to address the urgent need. But new research indicates the same masks that protected us throughout the pandemic can now be leaving a toxic trail behind.

A paper by scientists at Coventry University, published in Environmental Pollution, has established that disposable masks are leaching microplastics and toxic chemicals, such as endocrine disruptors, into the environment. This chemical fallout could have long-term impacts on human health, wildlife, and ecosystems globally, scientists warn.

During the height of the pandemic, the world consumed a projected 129 billion single-use face masks monthly. The majority were composed of polypropylene and other plastics and were meant to be used once and then discarded. Without a proven recycling stream, they wound up in landfills, scattered on urban streets, or carried by rain into rivers and oceans.

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These masks have started to degrade over time. Field studies in recent times have reported abandoned masks in soil, on beaches, in water bodies, and even in rural areas far from civilization. As they disintegrate, they do not vanish—they scatter tiny fragments of plastic and chemical additives in the environment.

Dr. Anna Bogush, the lead author of Coventry University's study, refers to this as a pressing problem. "We can no longer overlook the environmental price of single-use masks, particularly when we have learned that the microplastics and chemicals they emit have a detrimental impact on human beings and ecosystems alike," she stated.

Why Testing the Disposed Masks Is Essential?

To find out what happens to masks when they disintegrate, Bogush and co-researcher Dr. Ivan Kourtchev did a simple but insightful experiment. They put fresh, unused masks—surgical masks as well as filtering facepieces like FFP2 and FFP3—into glass flasks of distilled water. The water was filtered after 24 hours at room temperature and then tested using sophisticated laboratory methods.

The findings were alarming. Each mask, whether it was a surgical, cloth or respirator, emitted microplastics. But filtering facepieces, commonly sold as the most effective level of protection amid the pandemic, lost four to six times more particles than basic surgical masks.

Most of them were small—less than 100 micrometers, about the diameter of a human hair—and consisted mainly of polypropylene. Small amounts of polyethylene, polyester, nylon, and PVC were present. These substances do not biodegrade readily, so they linger for decades in the environment.

Invisible Pollutants With Visible Consequences

The worry is not limited to plastics. The study found that masks also emitted chemical additives, such as Bisphenol B (BPB), a chemical that has been found to act like estrogen and interfere with hormonal systems in humans and animals.

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The scientists estimated that at the peak of the pandemic, disposable masks released between 128 and 214 kilograms of BPB into the environment. That might seem insignificant compared to global levels of pollution, but the total effect of endocrine-disrupting chemicals—no matter how low the dose—has been found to influence fertility, development, and hormone function in humans and wildlife.

Microplastics, similarly, are not inert trash. When ingested by fish, birds, or small animals, they can become concentrated further up the food web, finally ending up in human diets. Microplastics have already been detected in seafood, tap water, and even in human lungs and blood.

Why Are These Disposable Masks Now Posing A Risk To Human Health?

The threats from microplastics and endocrine disruptors are multifaceted and as yet not fully appreciable, but the preliminary evidence is alarming.

Hormonal interference: Substances such as BPB have the potential to disrupt reproductive health, fetal growth, and metabolism.

Breathing difficulties: Microplastics inhaled through air can settle in lung tissue, leading to inflammation or other respiratory disorders.

Contamination of the food chain: Plastics carried by rivers, oceans, and land can contaminate crops and animals, with the risk of exposing individuals through food intake.

Scientists emphasize that this is not a standalone problem. Disposable masks are one part of a broader plastic pollution plague, which already encompasses bottles, bags, packaging, and man-made fabrics. But the unprecedented rate at which masks were used during the pandemic generated a shock and intense period of pollution.

Disposable Face Masks Have An Environmental Burden That Lingers

In contrast to biodegradable trash, the plastics found in disposable masks resist natural decay. One mask might take decades to degrade, releasing microplastics and chemicals along the way. For already plastic-stressed ecosystems, masks provide another source of stress.

Wildlife scientists have documented instances of animals getting tangled up in mask straps or eating shredded pieces. Marine ecosystems are especially at risk, since microplastics can settle into sediment and wreak havoc on entire food webs.

The environmental effect isn't quite even, however. Low- and middle-income nations, which frequently do not have effective waste management systems, bear a disproportionate weight of mask pollution.

The authors of the study contend that society must reexamine mask production, usage, and disposal. Single-use masks may have been necessary amid a peak health emergency on a global scale, but to continue using them without sustainable options threatens long-term damage.

The pandemic compelled billions of individuals to shift toward protective behaviors in one night. Masks helped save lives, safeguarded frontline health staff, and contributed significantly in slowing down the transmission of COVID-19. But their environmental legacy serves as a reminder that timely solutions to one crisis can generate new problems unless sustainability is made a part of the equation.

As the world prepares to face the next public health threat, safety gear can't be designed to be as if it stops with the disposal. The decisions we make today regarding manufacturing, using, and throwing away will resonate for decades in the environment and in our bodies.

Disposable masks were probably necessary in 2020, but by 2025, they are also a harsh reminder that each protective act has an unseen price tag. The only question is whether we will take action on this information before the chemical timebomb ticks again.

It is no news that ever since the President Donald Trump's administration has signed in, transgenders have seemed to lost their rights, with their research being removed, defunded, and now the administration has changed the name of transgender health leader on her official portrait. The new name used is her head name.

The person in question is Adm. Rachel Levine, who made history in 2021 when she was sworn in as the assistant secretary for health at the Department of Health and Human Services under former President Joe Biden. Levin was nation's highest ranking and openly transgender federal official. Her portrait hands in the HHS office, along with pictures of other federal officials who have led the US Public Health Corps. However, recently, especially after the US government went on a shutdown, HHS has removed Levine's name from her portrait and replaced it with her dead name, reported NPR.

As per the GLAAD, formerly Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, a major LGBTQ media advocacy organization, the act of revealing or using a transgender person's birth name without their permission is known as deadnaming.

What Does Levine Say On The Act Of Deadnaming Her?

Adrian Shanker, a former deputy assistant secretary for health policy in the Biden administration and Levine's current spokesperson told the NPR that this act is of "bigotry against her".

“During the federal shutdown, the current leadership of the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health changed Admiral Levine's photo to remove her current legal name and use a prior name," Shanker told the outlet.

As per Levine, it was a “great honor to serve in the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps.” In a statement to The Independent, she said, "My focus has been and continues to be on public health and health equity. I am not going to comment on this type of petty action.”

While the HHS spokesperson Andrew Nixon told that the agency's priority "is ensuring that the information presented internally and externally by HHS reflects gold standard science. We remain committed to reversing harmful policies enacted by Levine and ensuring that biological reality guides our approach to public health," in a statement to NPR.

Trump Administration Against Transgender

Over the last year, Trump administration has rolled back many rights of transgender people.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released new definitions for 'sex,' 'man,' and 'woman', an action that has provoked widespread discussion in health, scientific and policy communities. While proponents believe the revisions bring back biological truth, opponents caution that they will weaken science and harm healthcare policies. On February 19, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. released new federal guidelines that strictly define sex as an unchanging biological category based on reproductive function. The memo claims that sex is genetically determined at birth and does not change throughout life, making it clear that biological sex cannot be altered by medical treatment or self-identification.

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The government of the United States abruptly terminated at least 68 grants which were awarded to 46 institutions. This was a total of $40 million in funding. These grants were supporting research which was related to LGBTQ health, and included HIV prevention, youth suicide, cancer and bone health. While some of these funds have already been used, at least $1.36 million was withdrawn from future support. This figure is also an undercount, as estimates were available only for a portion of the cancelled grants.

A new law in South Dakota has restricted transgender people's use of communal facilities in public schools and state-owned buildings. This was implemented from July 1 2025.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) retracted references to transgender people, gender identity, and equity from its website. This change followed the executive order and a directive from the Federal Office of Personnel Management instructing agencies to eliminate taxpayer-funded programs reflecting "gender ideology". The guidelines issues on Wednesday asked to end "all agency programs that use taxpayer money to promote or reflect gender ideology", and was signed by President Trump.

According to a latest BBC report, GPs think that many people in England are being over diagnosed with mental health problems. Being stressed does not mean an illness. As per the commonly held view by family doctors, the society tends to over medicalize normal life stresses. However, the doctors are also concerned about the difficulty for the patients who actually have a mental health condition.

Earlier this week, the Health Secretary launched an independent review to understand why more people in England are seeking mental health, ADHD and autism services, and to identify where support is currently falling short.

BBC News sent a questionnaire to more than 5,000 GPs in England to understand their experiences supporting patients with mental health concerns. The 752 responses that came back show just how complicated and emotionally heavy this workload has become for many family doctors.

Of those who took part, 442 GPs said they believed over-diagnosis was a problem. Most felt mental health issues were being slightly over-diagnosed rather than significantly. At the same time, 81 GPs felt the opposite and said under-diagnosis was still a real concern.

Concerns about Limited Support

Over-diagnosis was far from the only issue. Many GPs told us they were deeply worried about the lack of meaningful support available for patients who come to them in distress. The questionnaire included both multiple-choice questions and an open invitation to leave anonymous comments, which many used to explain their frustrations.

One of the most common sentiments was summed up by a GP who said, “Life being stressful is not an illness.” Another reflected on how much expectations have changed, noting that society seems to have forgotten that heartbreak and grief are painful but still part of normal life. Another GP argued that labels like anxiety or depression risk medicalizing everyday emotional struggles, and this could pull resources away from people facing severe and complex needs.

A small number were openly critical of certain patients, with one describing them as “dishonest and narcissistic” and taking advantage of a system that is free at the point of use.

Rising Need Across Age Groups

According to NHS England, one in five adults lives with a common mental health condition. The rate is even higher among young people, where it rises to one in four for those aged 16 to 24.

GPs who responded to the questionnaire identified young adults between 19 and 34 as the age group most in need of mental health support. Some felt young people have become less resilient since the pandemic, with a stronger focus on seeking a diagnosis instead of learning coping strategies. Others disagreed and said the real problem was that services have become increasingly hesitant to assess and diagnose people when needed.

A Growing Workload for GPs

There are nearly 40,000 fully qualified GPs in England. While the responses cannot represent every doctor across the country, they do reveal clear patterns. Almost all GPs with more than five years of experience said the amount of time they now spend on mental health has risen sharply.

They pointed to three main reasons for this increase:

• Supporting patients who are unable to access good quality mental health services elsewhere

• Helping people whose mental health is affected by practical issues like housing, employment or financial pressure

• Seeing patients who believe they have a mental health condition when they may be dealing with normal life challenges

Earlier this year, the Health Secretary said mental health conditions were being over-diagnosed and too many people were being written off. He has since acknowledged that his comments were divisive and did not reflect the full complexity of the situation.

Demand That Services Cannot Meet

It is estimated that 2.5 million people in England have ADHD, including many without a formal diagnosis. Some NHS ADHD services have already stopped accepting new patients because they cannot cope with the demand. Many individuals have told the BBC just how difficult it has become to find proper assessment and care.

Overall, most GPs agreed that the system is not keeping up. Of the 752 respondents, 508 said there was rarely or never enough good quality mental health support for adults in their area. An even larger number, 640, said they were worried about getting young patients the help they need.

One GP called the state of mental health support “a national tragedy”. Another described the situation for children starkly: “A child literally needs to be holding a knife to be taken seriously and the second that knife is put down, services disengage.”

The Pressure to Prescribe

GPs were also asked whether they prescribe medication because they worry patients will not get other types of support, like talking therapies, quickly enough. The most common answer was yes, and that they do this routinely. One GP admitted they often reach for antidepressants even though they know it may only offer short-term relief and does little to prevent future episodes.

Professor Victoria Tzortziou Brown, chair of the Royal College of GPs, said family doctors face a difficult balance. Patients increasingly expect a diagnosis, yet not every emotional difficulty meets the criteria for one. She added that society needs to be careful not to medicalize the full range of normal feelings but also must avoid dismissing genuine concerns.

Fraser Olender, known from Below Deck, recently shared that he was hospitalized with a lung injury and a heart attack linked to vaping. The 33-year-old posted photos from his hospital bed and explained that the episode began with sudden chest pain and trouble breathing. He later learned that he had developed EVALI, or E-cigarette or Vaping-Associated Lung Injury, along with a coronary artery vasospasm that reduced blood flow to his heart. His experience has renewed questions about the real risks of vaping, especially for young adults who may assume it is a safer option.

Deck’s Fraser Olender Says Vaping Triggered His Heart Attack

Olender described being rushed to the hospital after severe chest discomfort and breathlessness. Over the next week, doctors ran tests and confirmed that he had EVALI, a condition first identified in 2019. It can include several serious complications, such as bronchiolitis obliterans and acute respiratory distress syndrome. Many patients require intensive care.

During his evaluation, doctors also found that his arteries had tightened suddenly, cutting off oxygen to part of his heart. This led to an ST-elevation myocardial infarction, a type of heart attack usually caused by a blocked artery. In his case, there was no blockage. The spasm alone was enough to trigger the event.

What Is Coronary Artery Vasospasm?

A coronary artery vasospasm occurs when the vessels supplying blood to the heart contract sharply. Reduced blood flow deprives the heart muscle of oxygen. When this lasts long enough, it can cause injury similar to a traditional heart attack. Vaping can contribute to these spasms by irritating blood vessels, upsetting the balance of oxygen in the lungs, and releasing chemicals that cause inflammation.

Cardiologists note that nicotine and other compounds in vape aerosols can cause the blood vessels to narrow, raise heart rate, and place stress on the heart even in otherwise healthy adults.

Why Doctors Warn About EVALI

EVALI has been linked to a wide range of vaping products. Symptoms include shortness of breath, chest pain, gastrointestinal upset, and fatigue. The condition inflames the lungs and interferes with oxygen exchange, which increases pressure on the heart. For some people, the damage appears suddenly, even after periods of regular use without symptoms.

Olender’s Recovery and Warning to Others

Olender wrote that the pain during the episode was intense and unrelenting. Multiple rounds of morphine offered little relief. He said the incident convinced him to quit vaping immediately.

He urged others to stop as well, calling the habit a needless risk. He added that soon after quitting, he noticed improvements in his skin and overall energy, something he had not expected.

Vaping is often marketed as a cleaner alternative to smoking, yet its long-term effects on the lungs and heart remain uncertain. Olender’s story highlights the need for awareness. Sudden heart complications, vessel spasms, and lung injury can occur in people with no prior health issues. Doctors continue to study the chemicals released in aerosols and how they affect blood vessels, lung tissue, and the cardiovascular system.