October 8, 2020

Why You Should Buy Biodegradable Hemp Face Masks

Many conservationists have pointed out that the coronavirus pandemic can result in a new set of pollution in oceans —by adding a whole lot of plastic waste in oceans threatening marine life.

Disposable masks are already floating in oceans like jellyfish and can be found scattered in different seabeds. Getting rid of COVID wastes—such as gloves, masks, bottles and sanitization bottles are littered in the waves of the Mediterranean. The quantum of pollution is though not high but it can breed a new type of pollution altogether. In France, more than 2 billion disposable face masks have been ordered and this is sufficient to clog ocean life. Conservationists are now worried about the dangers of single-use plastic in managing COVID. More than 13 million tones of plastic already go into oceans and COVID can certainly add to this. 570,000 tones of plastic flow into the Mediterranean every year which is equivalent to dumping  33,800 plastic bottles every minute into the sea. Now the average lifespan of single-use plastic is 450 years. Now just imagine the devastating impact of COVID plastic items can have on our planet. These floating plastic face masks can pose a significant danger to marine life as they can mistake a mask for food.  The danger is inevitable. Using biodegradable face masks can be a step in the right direction. Unfortunately, credible solutions are not available. Using a hemp mask can curb ocean pollution. Hemp masks are 100% biodegradable and they don’t use any dye color. In fact, there is no constituent in the hemp mask which poses threat to the environment. They’re also reusable and washable.

Vishal Vivek is the Founder and CEO of Ukhi, a pioneering bio-materials company dedicated to ending plastic pollution by converting agricultural waste into high-performance compostable polymers. With a background in sustainable entrepreneurship and over a decade of technology experience, he leads Ukhi’s vision to create scalable, planet-positive material solutions. Previously, Vishal founded the Hemp Foundation, where he empowered more than 1,000 farmers and advanced sustainable livelihood initiatives. His work has been recognized through awards such as the HDFC Parivartan Grant and featured in leading publications like Forbes and Entrepreneur. Times Group recognized him as a legendary entrepreneur and published his biography in “I Did IT- Vol 2” alongside social pioneers like Bindeshwar Pathak (Sulabh International) and Anshu Gupta (Goonj). Vishal has authored more than 200 articles on sustainability and hemp, reflecting his deep expertise and advocacy for regenerative solutions. His commitment to grassroots impact led him to live in the remote mountains of Uttarakhand, where he immersed himself in the lives of marginal farmers, understanding their challenges and co-creating economic opportunities through hemp-based initiatives. A deeply passionate innovator, Vishal often draws inspiration from seemingly impossible achievements: “If Elon Musk can make rockets reusable, or Dashrath Manjhi can carve a path through a mountain with rudimentary tools, why can’t we eliminate the demon of single-use plastic while uplifting struggling farmers? We will make it happen—whatever it takes.” Ukhi is proud to be supported by premier institutions including IIT Guwahati, NSRCEL-IIM Bangalore, Indian School of Business (Hyderabad), Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR Pusa), and the Indian Institute of Packaging. Vishal is committed to demonstrating that business can be a powerful catalyst for global environmental and social good. Connect with Vishal Vivek