These Eco-Friendly Masks Are Made From Recycled Ocean Plastic

The masks are beneficial for both the ocean and public health.

padigear.com
padigear.com

A scuba diver training organization is making face masks out of plastic found in the ocean.

The Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) is producing the masks in partnership with sustainable active wear brand Rash'R.

According to PADI’s website, the masks are made from recycled bottles from the ocean and come with a pack of five carbon filters. The company says the $20.40 price per mask also reflects how much it costs to make each one.

“We are not profiting from this product," PADI Worldwide vice president of consumer marketing Lisa Nicklin told CNN. "We're very much a heart-and-soul organization. We care about the ocean and our diver community, so we wanted to be able to put our hands on our hearts and say that we're not profiting off this difficult time."

The masks, which are currently available for preorder, can be bought in a smaller size to fit children. Based on the number of orders they received, Nicklin says the masks have helped recycle 1,267 pounds of ocean waste.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises using masks to slow the spread of the coronavirus and to prevent people who may have the virus but do not know it from transmitting it to others.

According to a study, referenced by the World Economic Forum in 2016, eight million metric tons of our plastic waste enter the oceans from land each year.