Ongrok Plant-Based Filter

The Ongrok Plant-Based Filter and the Ongrok Personal Air Filter with Replaceable Cartridges serve the same function — filtering smoke odor from exhales — but differ fundamentally in their environmental approach. The Plant-Based Filter is a single-use biodegradable unit made almost entirely from corn starch, with carbon and HEPA-grade filter media. When depleted, the corn-starch body degrades within approximately 9 months. The Personal Air Filter uses a reusable ABS plastic body with replaceable paper HEPA cartridges, reducing plastic waste through reuse. Users who prioritize end-of-life biodegradability choose the Plant-Based Filter; users who prefer a reusable device with ongoing replaceable cartridges choose the Personal Air Filter.

Ongrok estimates the lifespan of each Plant-Based Filter at approximately 300 uses for cigarettes, 600 uses for glass pipes and similar heavier smoke sources, and up to 900 uses for vape pens. The variation reflects the significant difference in smoke volume and density between these device types. A vape pen exhale is typically lower density than a cigarette or pipe exhale, placing less demand on the filter per use. For a regular daily user exhaling through a vape pen 3 to 4 times per day, a single filter could last approximately 9 months to a year at 900 uses.

Corn starch is a plant-derived biopolymer that breaks down naturally through biological processes in a compost environment or natural setting, unlike petroleum-derived plastics which can persist in the environment for hundreds of years. For a product that is inherently disposable after a finite service life, a biodegradable body significantly reduces the persistent waste created compared to a traditional plastic housing. The functional performance of the corn-starch body for housing filtration media is equivalent to a plastic housing for the purposes of a personal air filter.

Each exhale through the filter introduces warm, moist air into the filter body, which introduces moisture into the filtration media. If the filter is stored upright after use, moisture settles at the bottom of the filter body and creates a persistently damp microenvironment in the lower filter layers. Over time, this moisture accumulation reduces the effective lifespan of the filter by degrading the filter media prematurely. Laying the filter on its side between sessions allows air to circulate through the filter body in multiple directions, helping dry out the accumulated moisture and restoring the filter to a more optimal dry condition before the next use.

Before disposal, remove the silicone mouthpiece and silicone band from the filter body — these components are not biodegradable and should be separated for appropriate disposal. The corn-starch body, once the silicone components are removed, can be placed in a compost facility or discarded in a natural environment. Ongrok states the corn-starch body will fully degrade within approximately 9 months under either condition.

The Ongrok Plant-Based Filter uses carbon and HEPA-grade filtration media that is designed to capture smoke particles and odor compounds comparably to the paper-based HEPA media in the replaceable cartridge system of the Ongrok Personal Air Filter. Both are personal exhale filters intended for odor reduction in the immediate environment. The effectiveness of any personal air filter depends on the user exhaling completely through the device and allowing the full exhale to pass through the filter media, rather than partial exhaling that allows unfiltered smoke to escape around the filter.