A Safe Collection Process of Covid-19 Disposable Face Masks for the Applications in Asphalt Pavements

10 pages•Published: December 11, 2023

Md. Hasibul Hasan Rahat, Carol Massarra and George C Wang

Abstract

During the Covid-19 pandemic, plastic pollution became exacerbated by the disposal of face masks. The practical collection, processing, and application of the face mask have become a major challenge. Several studies have examined the added benefits of using face masks on asphalt pavements; however, these studies were limited to the application and have not addressed the appropriate collection process. This research aims to develop a theoretical collection process of disposable face masks originating from locations other than hospitals. The process aims to collect face masks safely and practically from residential, commercial, and educational zones. The masks would be collected twice a month and disinfected and sterilized before being transported to a shredding company for processing before being transported to an asphalt plant for use in asphalt mixtures. The developed collection method will minimize the risk of being affected by the Covid-19 virus and provide a practical procedure that can be used by waste management facilities. Additionally, the developed collection method could aid the construction industry in adopting a more environmentally friendly, sustainable, and cost- effective method of construction.

Keyphrases: construction, construction material, covid 19, environment, face mask, plastic waste, recycling, safety, sustainability, waste collection

In: Tom Leathem, Wes Collins and Anthony Perrenoud (editors). Proceedings of 59th Annual Associated Schools of Construction International Conference, vol 4, pages 93-102.

Links:	https://easychair.org/publications/paper/ZLNk
	https://doi.org/10.29007/z2nn

BibTeX entry

@inproceedings{ASC2023:Safe_Collection_Process_Covid,
  author    = {Md. Hasibul Hasan Rahat and Carol Massarra and George C Wang},
  title     = {A Safe Collection Process of Covid-19 Disposable Face Masks for the Applications in Asphalt Pavements},
  booktitle = {Proceedings of 59th Annual Associated Schools of Construction International Conference},
  editor    = {Tom Leathem and Wes Collins and Anthony Perrenoud},
  series    = {EPiC Series in Built Environment},
  volume    = {4},
  publisher = {EasyChair},
  bibsource = {EasyChair, https://easychair.org},
  issn      = {2632-881X},
  url       = {/publications/paper/ZLNk},
  doi       = {10.29007/z2nn},
  pages     = {93-102},
  year      = {2023}}

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