B.C.'s Vitacore Leads Canadian PPE Industry With CSA and European FFP3 Certifications of its CAN99 Respirator

B.C. made CAN99 exceeds the requirements in fit and filtering efficiency in Canadian and international assessments

VANCOUVER, BC, May 25, 2021 /CNW/ - Vitacore Industries Inc. becomes the first Canadian company producing N95 respirators to receive European CE (FFP3) certification by the British Standards Institute for their CAN99, and recently became the first 99PFE-L3 respirator to be certified by CSA Group. These certifications demonstrate that Vitacore's CAN99 respirators follow the safety standards required for medical use.

On April 22, 2021, Vitacore's CAN99 surgical respirator was awarded FFP3, the highest classification conducted by the British Standards Institute after rigorous testing on measures such as fit, filtration, comfort and breathability. Found to be amongst the best respirators in the world, the CAN99 is the only Canadian made respirator to receive this classification.

The FFP3 class respiratory protection offers the highest particulate filtration efficiency (greater than 99%) and with the lowest leakage (less than 2%). FFP3 respirators offer an assigned protection factor of 20 or more, making them the only disposable respirators suitable for use in applications such as the abatement of asbestos. In the UK, FFP3 is the recommended class of respiratory protection for use in the healthcare sector for protection against biological agents such as the SARS-COV-2 or the flu virus. For comparison, FFP2 respirators, or N95 equivalent respirators, offer an assigned protection factor of 10.

"Protecting our Canadian frontline workers has been our mission from the beginning and we're proud to provide them with the best protection in the world," said Mikhail Moore, president of Vitacore. "As the quality of masks and respirators has proved increasingly critical, our team has worked incredibly hard to design and manufacture a product that continues to push the limits of what was thought possible. The recent certifications on our CAN99 are a result of Vitacore's dedication to continuous innovation."

Several days earlier, on April 20, 2021, Vitacore Industries' CAN99 respirator also received CSA Group certification after a full assessment of the product and facility. The certification program incorporates rigorous quality system requirements, testing key aspects of the mask's performance such as filtration and fit, and ongoing compliance with post certification requirements as it relates to inspections and conformity testing. CSA Group's accredited, special-purpose laboratory, located in Toronto, provides domestic testing and certification of medical-grade PPE including masks, filtering facepiece respirators, medical gloves, protective drapes and apparel such as surgical and isolation gowns, intended for use across Canada.

"COVID-19 has shone a spotlight on Canada's domestic need for PPE manufacturing and local testing and certification," said Dana Paramenter, vice president, Industrial, CSA Group. "We are pleased to have certified Vitacore's CAN99 respirator, expanding the options for certified PPE available to Canadians. Certification, and the visible CSA mark, demonstrates that the PPE samples tested meet critical safety standards - standards that the manufacturer must maintain during ongoing production."

"The respiratory protection standards developed by governing bodies are some of the most stringent in the world. These standards will not only ensure that Canadians remain well protected, but will also spur innovation in the PPE space." said Yang Fei, Director of R&D of Vitacore.

About Vitacore Industries Inc.
Vitacore Industries is driven by innovation to provide Canadian healthcare professionals and families with critical personal protective equipment. With the first Canadian made N95 equivalent respirator (CAN95) to receive Health Canada authorization for production in Canada and now the CAN99, Vitacore is creating the new standard for PPE with a mission to protect frontline workers and an aim to use a Canadian supply chain and sustainably produced materials. In February 2021, Vitacore launched Canada's first end-to-end single-use mask and respirator recycling program in partnership with McMaster University aimed at reducing the harmful environmental impact of single-use PPE.

For more information on Vitacore and its PPE products visit vitacore.ca. For interview requests and assets, please see the media contact below.

About CSA Group
CSA Group is a global organization dedicated to safety, social good and sustainability. We are a leader in Standards Development and in Testing, Inspection and Certification around the world including Canada, the U.S., Europe and Asia. Our mandate is to hold the future to a higher standard. Visit www.csagroup.org to learn more.

SOURCE Vitacore Industries Inc.

Media Contact: Juliana Ferrante, Citizen Relations (on behalf of Vitacore), [email protected], 604-816-3109