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Betty Tessien
· Eliminate COVID Now with Tight Fitting, Efficient Masks
· Huge Changes in the Filter and Filter Media Markets
Eliminate COVID Now with Tight Fitting, Efficient Masks
A tight fitting efficient mask initiative should be given the highest priority because
· The pandemic ends immediately with everyone wearing tight fitting efficient masks
· These masks are available
· The cost is nominal
Everyone can be wearing highly efficient masks within weeks. This includes commercial designs plus DIY braces for medical masks. These DIY accessories e.g. three rubber bands can be eliminated over time as commercial options are amply available.
Here are the important facts and considerations
· When transmitter and recipient wear masks with a Fitted Filter Efficiency (FFE) of 90%, the combined efficiency is 99% and only 1% of the virus could be inhaled. Virus inhalation risk is 70 times less than with poor fitting cloth masks and 20 times less than with loose fitting medical masks.
· FFE 90 masks are the equivalent of a 99% lockdown.
· COVID is transmitted in small aerosols. If the emitter is wearing a FFE 90 mask the load falling on surfaces is reduced by 90% making surface transmission even more unlikely.
· With FFE 90 masks we return to normal activity and the pandemic ends.
Fast Track FFE 90 Program Objectives
· Immediately change every general mask mandate to specify efficiency. A nonspecific mandate is the equivalent of saying every football player should wear head covering.
· Create Safe Bubbles which can only be accessed by FFE 90 wearers.
· Require Safe Bubble operators to insure each entrant is properly wearing his FFE 90 mask.
· Do not wait for proactive government initiatives. Let the Safe Bubble operators (Schools, Fitness Centers, Churches, Malls, etc.) lead the way.
· Encourage Comfortable Attractive, Tight Fitting, Reusable (CATER) masks suppliers to increase production rapidly.
· Guide those who cannot afford or acquire CATER masks to properly wear medical masks with a brace which insures a tight fit.
Fast Track FFE 90 Program Elements
· Build on initiatives such as the ASTM 20/50 and EU equivalent
· Utilize the free CATER Mask Decisions (CMD) to provide a forum for those with important information to convey
· Quantitative, Qualitative, and Cursory Fit testing needs to be expanded. This can be evolutional and should not delay implementation.
· The benefits of creating Safe Bubbles should be explained to every major building or transportation operator.
· Programs can be implemented with the help of associations such as ones representing fitness centers, high schools, churches etc.
· Governments can be a guiding force but we should not wait until they can be fully vested.
The mask should be viewed as a medical device but with the added burden of being an acceptable article of clothing. Those who can afford CATER masks will want them. The DIY brace is equivalent of using a shirt as a tourniquet on the battlefield. It is not ideal but it will save lives.
The FFE 90 Mask initiative will be discussed in an open forum on January 21, 2021 at 10:00AM central standard time. Data will be displayed which is on the CDM site. If you have a contribution which should be considered, it can be added in one of the Daily Alerts prior to the forum.
You can register through the CATER Mask Decisions Website http://www.mcilvainecompany.com/CATER/subscriber/default.htm
For more information contact Bob McIlvaine at rmcilvaine@mcilvainecompany.com
Huge Changes in the Filter and Filter Media Markets
Any forecasts for filter and filter media revenues are likely to be outdated within months. The reason is that major changes are taking place in the industry at an unprecedented rate. Drivers include
- The coronavirus pandemic
- Wildfires, drought, and global warming
- Nationalism replacing international cooperation and trade
- New fibers and media
- Opportunities in gas phase removal for particulate filters
- Process and safety justification of higher filtration efficiency
- Water reuse
- The campaign to eliminate coal fired power generators
- Cost of recovery of oil from shale
- Single use systems for biopharmaceuticals
There is presently a shortage of MERV 13 filters as buildings try to comply with COVID regulations. The MERV 13 media can also be used in many other applications. Meltblowns, nanofibers, other non wovens and membranes are all competing options in a number of gas and liquid applications.
This graph prepared a few months ago may be made obsolete due to a safe bubble initiative which could result in billions of people wearing highly efficient masks. This would make the short term mask market the largest segment in the history of filtration.
There is the possibility to actually suck the CO2 out of the air using the Drax concept and possibly even shale fracturing with CO2 generated from biomass combustion.
A new class of inexpensive ambient air and liquid monitors allows measurement of individual toxic elements such as cadmium. This in turn drives the market for more efficient filters to eliminate these elements in the environment.
There are major changes in geographical activity as well as market shares for the suppliers and end users. Who would have predicted the problems of GE and ExxonMobil or the rise of Sinopec who in just eight weeks became one of the world’s largest meltblown suppliers.
Suppliers of filters and media are challenged to identify the low hanging fruit which needs to be immediately picked but also the high insect free fruit which ultimately result in the largest profits.
McIlvaine has a way to clear the fog and obtain the latest insights on the market. An hour long webinar shows participants the size of any of the markets they select.
This is accompanied by an explanation of the geographical, process, and regulatory drivers. Discussion among participants is also encouraged
The cost of the webinar is offset by discounts when any of the market reports are purchased within the following 90 days.
For more information on the webinars contact Bob McIlvaine at rmcilvaine@mcilvainecompany.com or 847 226 2391
Information on specific market reports is displayed under markets at www.mcilvainecompany.com
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