Adventist Health adopts FDA-approved practice to safely recycle N95 masks

Adventist Health in the Central Valley is partnering with Battelle Memorial Institute and Cardinal Health to safely recycle N95 Respirator Masks so they may be reused at its four hospitals and medical offices that provide dental care.

The Battelle Critical Care Decontamination System (CCDS) is authorized by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to decontaminate N95 or N95 equivalent filtering facepiece respirators (FFRs) that do not contain cellulose or activated carbon and do not have exhalation valves. Battelle CCDS uses concentrated, vapor phase hydrogen peroxide (VPHP) to decontaminate the respirators, which can be decontaminated up to 20 times without degrading performance.

“The decontamination process is safe and effective,” says Jon Cartlidge, Battelle CCDS representative. “Extensive testing showed that 100% of COVID pathogens were killed during the cleaning.”

Rigorous testing also showed that masks that come out of the system look new, perform as if new and have the same capability as a new mask out of a box.

Cardinal Health Sustainable Technologies will provide Adventist Health with the equipment needed to dispose of the N95 masks. They will then collect the boxes and transport to Freemont, Calif., which is the closest decontamination site.

More information about Battelle CCDS may be found by visiting: www.battelle.org/decon