ELoMed, a woman- and minority-owned and operated manufacturer of biodegradable face masks, has announced that it supplies tested protective biodegradable face mask. The company’s mask is a sustainable personal protective equipment (PPE) option suitable for healthcare and capable of protecting against different COVID-19 variants.

With ELoMed's biodegradable face masks, individuals can receive lab tested protection, while simultaneously supporting a better environment. ELoMed masks feature three layers and are made from renewable plant resources such as corn, sugarcane, cassava, and sugar beet. Each individual face mask is made using a unique biobased nonwoven fabric that breaks down over time, providing soil conditioners via decomposition, the company said in a press release.

A study on the aerosol filtration efficiency of common fabrics used in respiratory face masks found that multi-layered masks with an N95 classification were effectively superior when compared with other cloth and homemade masks. Research from the study indicates that cotton quilt is the most effective filtration material at a BFE of 80 per cent for particles smaller than 300-newton meters (nm), and 90 per cent for particles greater than 300 nm. The value of these results is bright when considering EloMed's biodegradable alternative is measured much higher, yielding a >98 per cent lab tested bacterial filtration efficiency (BFE), the press release added.