Scuba divers are turning ocean waste into face masks
A group of scuba divers have come up with an innovative way of tackling two major problems, by recycling ocean plastic waste into coronavirus face masks.
The face masks are made by the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI), in partnership with Rash’R, an Irish company that sells eco-friendly active wear, according to CNN.
Each reusable mask costs £17.20 and comes with five replacement filters. The price reflects the cost it takes to make each mask.
“We are not profiting from this product,” Lisa Nicklin, vice president of consumer marketing at PADI Worldwide, told CNN. “We’re very much a heart-and-soul organisation. 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 come in five different designs based on sea animals such as whale sharks, manta rays and great white sharks. There is also one made to fit children ages 4-10.
With 15,000 masks pre-ordered, PADI and Rash’R have had to quickly ramp up production to meet demand.
“We underestimated how popular they would be,” Nicklin said. “I think (consumers) just felt that it was a great thing to do for the ocean while also buying something that they need.”
Based on the number of current orders, the masks have helped remove and reuse 1,267 pounds of ocean waste, according to Nicklin.
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