The increasing air pollution levels in several countries is one of the major factors responsible for the surging sales of surgical, face, and respiratory masks across the globe. The biggest factors causing spike in the pollution levels are the rising urbanization and industrialization and the resultant increase in the toxic emissions from factories and vehicles. According to the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) and the Health Effects Institute, 4.1 million deaths were caused due to the high fine particulate matter (PM2.5) levels in 2016.
We all should wear face masks daily not only because of viruses but also because of air pollution. I would recommend you to go now and read this information piece as it can help you a lot in understanding the importance of face masks.