N95 Reprocessing: Mapping the Materials Collection Process

The COVID-19 pandemic has created a critical shortage of N95 respirators nationwide. KSH created a comparative tool for evaluating potential N95 decontamination strategies. Key evaluation criteria are reviewed here. As part of the evaluation, we compared the two basic materials collection processes featured among all N95 reprocessing studies: bulk processing, and individual item processing.

Materials collection process was determined by both the reprocessing method chosen, and by each facility’s overarching N95 optimization strategy. Bulk processing generally involved sending masks off-site to a third-party reprocessor. Individual item processing was used when masks were decontaminated in-house. The collection and process maps are highlighted below.

Bulk Processing:

Facility collects N95 masks all together, and sends them to a third party reprocessor. Reprocessor decontaminates N95 masks, packages and returns them to sender.

Individual item processing:

Facility collects N95 masks by user: user labels mask, brown paper collection bag, and folded white paper bag. The paper bag is used to allow airflow around the mask when not in use. Bags of used masks are collected and sent to processor. Masks are decontaminated and placed in labeled white bags, and returned to user.

When considering an N95 reprocessing method, materials collection should be part of the plan. Once a collection process is developed, use the materials collection process map to plan for safe, quality collection at each step of the process.