Roswell Downhole Technologies

Published purpose

The COVID-19 pandemic has generated an increased consumption of disposable personal protective equipment (PPE) by healthcare workers and by the general public. As of June 29, 2020, based on federal government projections for PPE demand over the next year, it is estimated that approximately 63,000 tons of COVID-19 related PPE will end up as waste, being ultimately landfilled. In November 2018, the Canadian Councils of the Ministers of the Environment (CCME) adopted Canada's Zero Plastic Waste Strategy to reduce the environmental impact of plastics and promote a circular economy. To support this strategy and to reduce the environmental footprint of PPE in Canada, the Government of Canada is supporting the development of solutions to manufacture more sustainable PPE and to better manage their end of life. Strategies include re-usability, alternative materials, improved recyclability and novel recycling technologies, as well as compostability. This challenge is in support of the compostability element of that strategy. The National Research Council of Canada (NRC), in collaboration with Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), Health Canada (HC), and Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) are seeking solutions for the manufacture of compostable disposable surgical masks and respirators to be used by healthcare workers.