As we can all remember, the beginning of the pandemic proved to be a time of great uncertainty. Scientists and citizens alike struggled to find the best defense against COVID-19. As time went on, scientists discovered that the best protection against COVID-19 was adequate hand washing, and a face mask. Soon afterwards, governments mandated face coverings, making them a necessity not only on the front lines, but also for everyday activities.
In April 2020, the Trump Administration invoked the Defense Production Act which required respirator manufacturer 3M to cease exportation to Canada and Latin America. This was a huge blow for Canada as this was a resource that our frontline workers desperately needed in their battle against the coronavirus.
While this was a stressful time for Canada, this also proved to be an amazing opportunity to bring respirator manufacturing back within our borders. Enter Vitacore Industries. Mikhail Moore, President of Vitacore Industries, saw this as an opportunity and seeked to find a solution to this problem.
Along the way Vitacore faced challenges, namely NIOSH, an American health certification, was not accepting foreign applications for certification. However, this did not stop them. Vitacore worked closely with Health Canada and the National Research Council (NRC) to develop Canadian standards similar to NIOSH, and even surpassing NIOSH in some aspects. Shortly afterwards, in May 2020, Vitacore began producing their CAN95 respirator.
At the beginning of 2021, Vitacore became the first face mask and respirator company in Canada to take the next leap, an end-to-end recycling program aimed at reducing the environmental impact of single-use PPE.
Vitacore began this initiative in partnership with McMaster University and the University of British Columbia. In early February, PPE recycling bins were set up around Metro Vancouver at longer term care and urgent care facilities.
Vitacore collects the masks, and then sends them to McMaster University where they are sterilized and then repellitized to be turned into something new.
Why are single-use face masks recyclable?
Well, it may not look like it, but single-use masks are actually plastic! The fabric is a plastic known as polypropylene which can be used to create many different things, including cement.
Why can’t the masks simply be recycled into new masks?
The challenge with this approach is that many people struggle with the idea of “recycled masks,” which is completely understandable. So Vitacore and it’s partners sought to find an alternate use of this polypropylene. After lots of research they decided to give the face-masks a second life as construction materials to reinforce concrete or siding for buildings and reduce the amount of waste heading to landfills.
The team at McMaster has not stopped there though! They are continuing to do ongoing research into further uses for this repelletized material.
What are the long term goals of this project?
Now that Vitacore is out of their pilot project stage, they are excited to work with the many organizations that have reached out to them to take part in this recycling program. Their goal is to have bins all over Canada by Fall 2021.
Vitacore is also in search of partners for the sterilization process, while they are currently working with McMaster, they are excited about the possibility of working with academic institutions across the country.
To finish off my conversations with the Vitacore team, I asked them how they see their company growing, and what they see as the future of face masks.
Antonio Oliveri of Vitacore explained that, despite the newfound hope that many of us have from the vaccines, single-use face masks will still continue to be needed for the next 1-2 years in hospitals, so they are focused on continuing to partner with health authorities. As their company continues to expand, they hope to go into other areas within the PPE space.
Vitacore prides itself on its focus on quality, something that is highlighted by the fact that they individually check their facemasks to ensure they all meet the proper quality, so there is no doubt they will become a reputable brand for Canadians as they grow.
Antonio also reminded us that, while Canada only mandates non-medical face masks, some European countries including Germany have mandated N95 masks, and with that reality likely coming to Canada with only a matter of time, medical grade masks will continue to grow in demand.
This recycling program is an excellent reminder that no matter the industry they are in, or the product they sell, a company can do its part to be more sustainable and reduce its waste. While the COVID-19 pandemic will one day end, let us not forget these lessons on a company's ability to help the environment through the simple act of recycling.
Written by: Jaden Love, Sustaingineering
