Disposable plastic face masks pose huge risks 17 Mar 2021 / 01:28 H. THE huge demand for face masks in the year since the coronavirus pandemic swept the globe has resulted in enormous production of disposable masks, but it is now feared that undisposed of properly, they pose a major threat to the natural world. Recent studies estimate humans around the world are now using a mind-boggling 129 billion face masks every month. Taking 31 days in a month, that is an average usage of 2.8 million masks a minute being used across the planet. Researchers warn that the huge volume of masks, with their plastic composition, pose a growing environmental threat and are urging action to prevent it from becoming the next plastic problem.