Manchester, Conn., Feb. 16, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ASTM International has introduced new certification standards for General Barrier Face Coverings, giving the general public greater awareness and control over the level of protection provided by cloth face masks. ASTM Level 1 Face Coverings block at least 20% of particles 0.3 micron and larger (including bacteria and many viruses), while ASTM Level 2 Face Coverings block at least 50% of these particles.
In response to these new standards, Sara Greenstein, President & CEO of Lydall, Inc., provided the following statement:
“Lydall and our team of filtration and materials science experts were honored to work alongside ASTM International, the CDC, INDA and our fellow industry colleagues in this joint effort to better educate consumers about the level of protection face masks provide against threats like COVID-19. Since the onset of the pandemic, manufacturers all over the world have stepped up to accelerate production of personal protective equipment and the materials they require, but demand still heavily outweighs supply. For that reason, it remains critically important that we right-size our face masks for our level of risk – and in order to do that, we must understand exactly how much protection masks offer. N95 respirators and surgical masks that contain fine fiber meltblown filtration media remain the gold standard, but these new standards provide much-needed guidance for a broader range of more widely available masks. The message is clear: by buying ASTM-certified and buying American-made, consumers can have clarity and confidence in the level of defense their masks deliver against the virus.”
About Lydall, Inc.
Headquartered in Manchester, Connecticut, with global manufacturing operations, Lydall delivers value-added engineered materials and specialty filtration solutions that create a cleaner, safer and quieter world. Leveraging our 150-year history of technical expertise and innovation, deeply ingrained supplier relationships and operational agility, Lydall partners with our customers to develop bespoke, high-performing and efficient solutions that solve the world’s most pressing challenges. Our precisely engineered, highly technical products protect people and places, providing air pollution control, liquid filtration, heat protection and noise reduction. With “Lydall inside,” our customers can pass the most rigorous testing and certification processes, and their end-users can have full confidence in their products.
Lydall is a New York Stock Exchange-listed company. For more information, visit http://www.lydall.com. Lydall® is a registered trademark of Lydall, Inc. in the U.S. and other countries.