Disposable respirator masks such as N95s and KN95s have substantial financial and environmental costs. They are constructed from nonrecyclable materials that help keep us safe but also end up as unsightly trash on the ground, micro-plastics that harm wildlife, and a burden on campus’s goals for zero net waste and a more sustainable future. Fortunately, for most people, in most situations, your mask need not be thrown away after each use, or each day. The New York Times’ technology Wirecutter section recently offered some simple at-home/work advice — consistent with CDC guidance for re-use of respirators — on how to extend the effective life-span of your N95s, KN95s, and other disposable masks. A synopsis of the advice is provided below.
“You can re-wear a mask after you have stored it in a paper bag for a few days, according to the CDC and multiple experts we’ve interviewed for our respirator guide. The agency provides a simple strategy for healthcare workers that involves rotating used masks in brown paper bags, a variation of which was employed during the N95 shortage in the early days of the pandemic. The coronavirus has an expected survival time of about 72 hours, so waiting for, say, five to seven days should be enough time for it to be inactivated.
Personally, to keep track, I have five masks on rotation and seven brown paper bags marked with the days of week, lined up on my windowsill. I place my mask in the appropriately labeled bag between uses during the day and at the end of it. After a week has passed, I either take the mask out to wear or move it to an eighth bag marked “Ready to Use.””
Sources:
NYT's Wirecutter Article
CDC guidance for limited re-use of respirators
