Researchers in the BioProducts Institute at the University of British Columbia (UBC) have been designing what could be the very first N95 mask, which can be sourced and made entirely in Canada. It’s also possibly the world’s first fully compostable and biodegradable medical mask.

The compostable and biodegradable medical mask designed by the UBC team.

“When we decided to design a mask back in March, we knew early on we wanted a solution that uses local materials, is easy to produce and inexpensive, with the added bonus of being compostable and biodegradable,” says researcher Johan Foster, a chemical and biological engineering associate professor in the faculty of applied science.

The mask frame is made entirely from B.C. wood fibers from sources such as pine, spruce, cedar and other softwoods. One prototype uses a commercial N95 filter on the front of the mask, the other uses a filter specially designed by the UBC team from wood-based products. Both prototypes are currently being tested to ensure they meet health industry specifications for fit and permeability, with plans to apply for Health Canada certification in the near future.

Johan Foster and Orlando Rojas.

“The mask is a promising solution, as it pairs B.C. wood—a marvelous material with future potential for advancing our future bioeconomy and creating jobs—with B.C. industry expertise and technology developed and tested right here at UBC," says chemical and biological engineering professor Orlando Rojas, scientific director of the BioProducts Institute and a faculty member with UBC’s faculty of forestry, faculty of applied science and faculty of science.

Developing the mask took the combined efforts of a multidisciplinary team that included researchers from the faculties of applied science, forestry and science at UBC. Mask prototyping is nearly complete, and a shift to cost-effective scaling and production is in the plans.

Researchers in the BioProducts Institute at the University of British Columbia (UBC) have been designing what could be the very first N95 mask, which can be sourced and made entirely in Canada. It’s also possibly the world’s first fully compostable and biodegradable medical mask.

The compostable and biodegradable medical mask designed by the UBC team.

“When we decided to design a mask back in March, we knew early on we wanted a solution that uses local materials, is easy to produce and inexpensive, with the added bonus of being compostable and biodegradable,” says researcher Johan Foster, a chemical and biological engineering associate professor in the faculty of applied science.

The mask frame is made entirely from B.C. wood fibers from sources such as pine, spruce, cedar and other softwoods. One prototype uses a commercial N95 filter on the front of the mask, the other uses a filter specially designed by the UBC team from wood-based products. Both prototypes are currently being tested to ensure they meet health industry specifications for fit and permeability, with plans to apply for Health Canada certification in the near future.

Johan Foster and Orlando Rojas.

“The mask is a promising solution, as it pairs B.C. wood—a marvelous material with future potential for advancing our future bioeconomy and creating jobs—with B.C. industry expertise and technology developed and tested right here at UBC," says chemical and biological engineering professor Orlando Rojas, scientific director of the BioProducts Institute and a faculty member with UBC’s faculty of forestry, faculty of applied science and faculty of science.

Developing the mask took the combined efforts of a multidisciplinary team that included researchers from the faculties of applied science, forestry and science at UBC. Mask prototyping is nearly complete, and a shift to cost-effective scaling and production is in the plans.