Lee resumes distribution of free masks
NASHVILLE — Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee announced Wednesday the state is resuming distribution of free face masks treated with an anti-microbial chemical after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency weighed in on a controversy over their safety and said the masks are safe for people to use.
The governor cited EPA’s statement to the Knoxville News Sentinel that the agency has evaluated the microbial silver-based product Silvadur 930 Flex used in the masks, which were made from sock material to prevent coronavirus spread. The federal agency said it had “determined that it is safe for use as a materials preservative in textiles or fabric.”
“So we are going to continue distribution of those masks,” Lee told reporters.
Lee on June 1 halted statewide distribution of the 5 million masks it had purchased from Mount Airy, North Carolina-based Renfro Corp. That came following a Nashville television station’s news report raising concerns about the chemical’s safety. Prior to Lee’s move, health departments in Hamilton, Davidson and Shelby counties had already halted distributing the masks, citing concerns.
During the controversy, the Tennessee Legislature’s Black Caucus called for a state investigation into the mask. A University of Tennessee at Chattanooga microbiologist told the Times Free Press at the time that EPA cautions cited in news accounts appeared to deal with the product as manufactured. However, in use for articles of clothing and other purposes, it would have been vastly diluted and in his view it could be used safely.
Lee nonetheless said at the time the state would seek an independent analysis. That effort was halted after the EPA weighed in.
In a statement, Renfro president and CEO Stan Jewell reiterated prior comments that “we have had full confidence in our product all along and are very thankful that Tennesseans will once again have access to face masks to help reduce the spread of COVID-19.”
Jewell said the masks, “which we stepped up to produce at a time the country needed them, have been a sincere source of pride for me, and for Renfro as a whole. We thank Governor Lee for taking the additional steps to confirm the safety of our masks.”
The company, which has a Cleveland, Tennessee-based manufacturing and distribution facility, “developed and manufactured a safe, comfortable and reusable mask to fill a critical need in a national health crisis,” Jewell said. “We are proud that we could provide 5 million masks to Tennesseans, who may not have otherwise been able to access them during this pandemic — and that in doing so we created about 500 new jobs for Americans in a great time of need.”
EPA noted that Silvadur 930 “is used extensively in bandages and skin preparations, and there are no risks of concern at low concentrations such as would be found in this fabric.”