The COVID-19 pandemic is estimated to have generated 7,200 tons of medical waste daily, most of which are disposable masks. Disposable N95 waste alone will generate 6,700 lbs/ 1000 people a year.
Based on 2020 stats, if all Canadian healthcare workers were issued 1 Comfort-Air®NxMD reusable respirator, in a 90-day period there would be a costs savings of $97,713,000 and a total of 1,247,990 LBs of mask waste diverted from landfill.
Since 2004, Canadian owned Dentec has been producing reusable half mask respirators for industrial applications. When the pandemic hit, Dentec developed, according to CDC guidelines, the Comfort-Air®NxMD reusable elastomeric respirator for healthcare workers.
In alignment with the Canadian Coalition for Green Health Care, Dentec’s mission provides superior and sustainable protection solutions while contributing to the reduction of landfill waste of mask disposal. The Comfort-Air®NxMD N95 and P100 filters can be disinfected, are reusable for one year (use dependent), reducing landfill waste by millions of pounds annually, incineration costs for mask disposal and decrease of carbon emissions.
“It is imperative that Canada’s senior health leaders and professionals take seriously the warnings from the World Health Organization and work together to preserve our planet. We need to build climate resilient and low carbon sustainable health systems and empower staff and colleagues to take action now,” says Neil Ritchie, Executive Director of the Canadian Coalition for Green Health Care.
“Commitment to providing high grade sustainable respiratory protection to our Canadian frontline workers is essential,“ said Claudio Dente, President & Cofounder Dentec Safety Specialists. “In addition, reusable elastomeric respirators are safer, good for the planet and the financial bottom line.”
Dentec Safety Specialists Inc, a leading manufacturer and distributor of safety products in North America, was awarded Gold for the Comfort-AirNx reusable elastomeric N95 respirator by the Occupational Health & Safety Industrial Hygiene Awards, and Vendor of the Year by INDICA Marketing Group. Contracted by the US Government, Dentec Safety received a multimillion-dollar PPE grant as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act, a $2 trillion Coronavirus stimulus bill provided by the US Federal Government), and a contract for 125,000 respirators with 500,000 replacement filters for distribution to US healthcare. Dentec Safety has shipped to Cook Islands, Australia, Italy, England, New Zealand, Canada wide and the USA.
The Canadian Coalition for Green Health Care is Canada’s premier green health care resource network and is leading the evolution of sustainability in Canada’s health sector as a national voice and catalyst for environmental change. Collaboratively, we strive to reduce health care’s ecological impact from compassionate care delivery while providing a nurturing platform upon which to discuss and promote best practices, innovation, environmental responsibility, and climate change resiliency.
