The pressing need for surgical face masks during the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted regional supply chain issues. Extensive use of such personal protective equipment has also resulted in a high volume of discarded surgical face masks, posing challenges for environmentally responsible disposal. These issues have been addressed by University of British Columbia, Canada, researchers with the use of abundant wood resources to locally develop a fully compostable and biodegradable medical grade face mask.

The frame of the Canadian-Mask, or Can-Mask, is composed of pine, spruce and other wood fibers sourced in British Columbia. One design iteration uses a commercially available N95 filter on the front while another The biodegradable N95 mask is composed of locally available wood fibers. Source: University of British Columbiaincludes a filter engineered by the researchers from wood-based products. The biodegradable protective equipment is considered a feasible alternative to synthetic masks currently, due to a significantly reduced environmental impact at end of life.

The prototyping phase is nearly complete and will be followed by a shift to cost-effective scaling and production. The two Can-Mask design prototypes are also being tested to ensure compliance with health industry specifications for fit and permeability, with plans to apply for Health Canada certification.