COLUMBUS, Ohio — On Monday, The Pentagon announced that it signed a $415 million contract with Columbus-based Battelle to create 60 additional Critical Care Decontamination Systems (CCDS) to sterilize N95 masks.
The technology developed by Battelle allows one unit to clean up to 80,000 used masks per day using concentrated, vapor phase hydrogen peroxide.
The masks can be reused up to 20 times.
Collectively, the 60 units will be able to sterilize up to 4.8 million masks per day.
According to a news release, six units have already been set up including Columbus, two to New York and one in Boston, Chicago and Tacoma.
The units will be available by early May and the Department of Health and Human Services and FEMA will decide where each machine will be installed.
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