With air quality deteriorating, is it now time to buy a respirator?

As wildfires ramp up again in Canada, Ontario and Quebec have received hazardous air quality warnings. An Ironman triathlon in Quebec has been canceled, youth football and baseball programs in Ottawa and Montreal have been shut down, and outdoor pools and beaches in Ottawa and Gatineau have been closed. It’s not the first time this year that smoke from wildfires has forced people to make changes.

Earlier this month, wildfires from Quebec and northeastern Ontario brought smoky skies and poor air quality to Toronto, giving the city a glimpse of some of the immediate impacts of climate change. Some residents returned to masking.

Smoke from wildfires poses serious health risks, according to experts, especially for children, seniors and people with respiratory and other chronic health conditions.

According to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Center, there are 465 fires raging across the country. Of those, 240 are out of control and nearly a fourth are in Quebec.

Global temperatures continue to rise, and even with this wildfire season on track to be the worst on record, scientists are warning that fires will increase and become more intense.

So how can Canadians prepare for poor air quality? As talks about masking return, a few people have pointed to elastomeric respirators as an alternative to regular pandemic-style masks.

Jeff Brook, an associate professor at the University of Toronto’s Dalla Lana School of Public Health and Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, weighed the pros and cons of using it.

How respirators differ from other masks

When it comes to masks, there are three things to consider, Brook said: breathing comfort, face fit and filtration.

Respirators are sized like a “gas mask” and have “disc-shaped attachments” on either side of the face that can be replaced to clean the air in a different way.

They cost more than other masks because they’re designed to fit snugly on the face, he said, and they have “separate modules” for where air comes in and out.

“You can have modules that remove the particles, for example, or modules that remove particles plus some of the gases that can be harmful (and cause odors),” he said.

They can become more specialized, especially if used in a professional setting, but awareness around the masks grew under COVID, he added.

When using a respirator is useful and when not

Needing masks and respirators is “obviously not the way we want the world to go,” Brook said, “but they all provide an advantage in terms of protection from what you’re breathing in.”

While the official advice is to stay indoors when the air quality is poor, Brook stressed that outside “some sort of mask or respirator is your only line of defense.” (He also added that there are several steps people should take to clean the air inside, such as building their own air purifier or using a “state-of-the-art” portable air purifier or HVAC system. .)

The amount of particles that would end up in a person’s lungs is a function of three things, Brook said. How many particles are in the air, how long someone breathes the air and how fast they breathe.

He emphasized that wearing a really tight mask for several hours outside could be “quite stressful” and being tempted to take it off for a while – which he said could be less beneficial than wearing a mask that less tight fit for all of the time spent outdoors.

Drawing on his experience advising the government of Malaysia several years ago when the country was grappling with bushfire smoke from Indonesia, Brook noted that “you can have some confidence” knowing there is still some protection in cheaper gear, as long as it fits well and is worn when needed.

The risks of smoky air and other pollutants

The effects of wildfire smoke will first be seen in people with pre-existing respiratory conditions, Brook said, as well as older adults. They will be more likely to experience “acute” effects, such as worsened symptoms that can lead to limited activities and a need for more medications. Some may need to go to the emergency room, he said.

“In most cases, once the exposure wears off, you’re back to your normal self,” he said. “If you are a … healthy person.”

Much of the knowledge about the dangers of wildfire smoke particles is based on the air pollution studies, Brook said, adding “at this point there isn’t enough evidence to say they are any different.” As such, there are likely risks to the cardiovascular system as well, he said.

Pregnant people should also be careful to avoid smoking, especially when a fetus’s brain, lungs, and other organs are developing. Smoke “can affect fetal development,” he said, depending on when they’re exposed.

He explained that the same is true for babies who are still developing during “reasonably defined periods of time from weeks to months”.

Air pollution is known to affect birth outcomes in general, resulting in lower birth weight, he added.

Inflammation is another risk, Brook said. For example, in people who have been exposed to smoke or other air pollutants for a few days, inflammation often increases. While it’s the immune system responding to a perceived threat, inflammation can have its own lasting effect, Brook said, explaining that it’s linked to many chronic diseases.

What it feels like to wear a gas mask

James Andrew Smith, an engineering professor at York University, was already wearing an elastomeric respirator during the pandemic because he found it practical while teaching. Disposable masks were difficult to seal over his facial hair and caused his glasses to fog up. However, the “rubber” mask sealed tightly and allowed him to see inside.

With the wildfire smoke earlier in June, Smith, who has had no formal training in air quality or personal protective equipment, said he could feel the impact on his nose and lungs. He started wearing his mask outdoors.

“While I was with the disposables, I could still smell a little bit of smoke from a forest fire. As soon as I put on one of these … respirators, the smell went away and I was breathing just fine,” he said.

When it comes to dealing with eyerolls from his kids and comments after posting a photo to Twitter, Smith said he has “no shame.”

“It doesn’t really matter to me because someone has to lead by example,” he said. “If I put on the really ugly mask, it makes it a lot easier for other people to wear the less ugly ones. That makes it more acceptable.”

And with experts pointing to a future of more intense and frequent wildfires, Smith said people “need to be prepared” for what lies ahead. He noted that Health Canada has said wildfire smoke can be harmful to anyone’s health, even at low concentrations, adding that masking outside is not necessary most days.

Ultimately, Smith said he wants to empower people to use the mask that works best for them and to have the knowledge about how to stay safe.

Where to find ventilators and how much they cost

Respirators can be found at Canadian Tire starting at about $25, Brook said, adding that a better one might cost closer to $45.

Those masks are likely designed for painting or dealing with dust, but can be used on a smoky day, Brook said. Masks for professional use meanwhile are “definitely more expensive”.

There are also many companies and charities that sell “sample packs,” Smith said. It allows people to find out which masks are a good fit for them at more affordable prices. He said he bought masks from donatemask.ca and canadastrong.ca.

Another option for finding good masks is the Lee Valley woodworking shop, Smith said.

Plus, air quality sensors can be found at IKEA for $13. According to Smith, they’re the cheapest on the market.

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