The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a surge in the consumption of disposable personal protective equipment (PPE), especially face masks by healthcare workers and by the general public. According to the Canadian Federal government predictions for PPE demand over the year, roughly 63,000 tonnes of COVID-19-related PPE will end up as waste, eventually being landfilled, as of June 29, 2020. The currently available face masks are, generally developed from, polypropylene and polystyrene polymers. These materials could take up to 500 years, to decompose, in the natural environment. My PhD research focuses on reducing the environmental impact of these materials by developing a biobased respirator mask that is biodegradable in nature. The photo of this used mask was taken in winter 2021 (January) inside the University of Guelph, Guelph campus.
