EcoDrive HONG KONG launches REUSABLE IS A CHOICE campaign ​

2020 has been a challenging year. COVID-19 has affected people, companies, charities and our environment. Since our start in 2018, EcoDrive Hong Kong has been committed to raising awareness on plastic pollution and educating the public on reduction of single-use plastic in our lives. In the past year, we see the urgency to address this pressing issue more than ever!

Due to the current pandemic, the single-use plastic situation has deteriorated. Wearing a mask has become a new norm; but the impact of disposable masks is compromising the health of our planet. Single-use face masks are mainly made from a variety of  plastic and composite materials which are difficult to recycle due to both composition and risk of contamination and infection. These masks will take hundreds of years to break down, slowly turning into micro plastics and harming marine life and our ecosystems. The Environment Bureau (ENB) has estimated that since the beginning of the pandemic, people in Hong Kong have thrown away 4-6 millions disposable masks daily, adding 10 to 15 tonnes of municipal solid waste to the landfill every day. In addition, poorly disposed masks can be seen everywhere littering Hong Kong’s streets, beaches and country trails. 

To help tackle this problem, EcoDrive has collaborated with reusable mask brand DET30 to launch a Reusable Mask Campaign, asking Hong Kong citizens to rethink their mask choices and to take better care when discarding their disposable masks. Protecting our health does not need to come at the price of compromising the environment. We can make our own mask choices in situations that we consider suitable. 

We have enlisted 20 personalities from different fields in Hong Kong to help spread the message of choosing to wear a reusable mask in situations that they feel are suitable, such as going hiking, walking the dog, visiting art galleries and buying groceries at outdoor wet markets etc.

We hope you will support our REUSABLE IS A CHOICE campaign by spreading the message and making a pledge to wear reusable masks when you feel it's suitable. We strive to continue to make a positive difference in Hong Kong, and to make our city a better place to live in.   

The Ecodrive x DET30™ is a general-purpose mask for daily use; it is water-repellant, anti-bacterial and can be washed up to 30 times.