2021年1月27日，巴塞尔公约亚太区域中心区域化学品管理室主任陈源博士/研究员就废弃口罩可能产生的环境问题和解决措施接受央视采访。陈源研究员在采访中表示，口罩是由在环境中不易降解的聚乙烯和聚丙烯塑料制作，如果随意丢弃，在环境中将会降解产生微塑料，环境中的微塑料易吸附重金属和有机物等有毒有害物质。微塑料和含有有毒有害物质的微塑料进入生物体，富集到超过生物耐受剂量即可对生物体的健康产生危害，人在食物链的最顶端，进入人体内的微塑料也会对人体健康的危害产生风险。因此，建议全体公民做好废弃口罩的规范化回收，减少废弃口罩流入自然环境的几率。

陈源研究员长期致力于化学品及塑料污染防治技术和政策的研究，其作为项目负责人实施的中挪合作海洋废塑料及微塑料管理能力建设项目，是我国商务部和挪威驻华使馆签署合作协议批准、生态环境部（国际合作司）作为申请单位、亚太中心作为执行单位的国际合作项目。该项目的实施，将从塑料废物的陆源控制到海洋废塑料及微塑料的监管方面，进一步提升我国的管理能力。 

On 27 January 2021, Dr. Chen Yuan, the Chief of Regional Chemical Management Branch of BCRC China/ SCRCAP, accepted an interview from China Central Television (CCTV) on the issue of potential environmental pollution and solutions to discarded face masks. In the interview, Dr. Chen Yuan explained the components of the most common masks and its materials of polyethylene and polypropylene which are nondegradable in the environment. The discarded masks in the environment will degrade into microplastics which could absorb heavy metals and persistent organic pollutants. Microplastics and the toxic chemicals will raise adverse impact on ecology and human health. Therefore, it is necessary for the public to collect and discard the used masks to reduce the probability that they went into the environment.

Dr. Chen Yuan is devoted to the study of chemical and waste management, and plastic pollution control technology and policy. She is the project manager of Sino-Norwegian Cooperation on Capacity Building for Reducing Plastic & Microplastic Pollution (SINOPLAST). SINOPLAST is a bilateral project between China and Norway. The project was proposed by Ministry of Ecology and Environment of China, BCRC China/SCRCAP is the Chinese executive agency. The project aims at strengthening China’ s capacity of plastic waste and microplastic pollution prevention and control. For more detailed information of SINOPLAST please refer to the website: http://www.bcrc.cn/sinoplast/