Wow, this seems like 4chan conspiracy theory becoming reality. Will the worm one turn out to be true too?<p>On a side note, what kind of idiot puts graphene in masks, when its so widely known that graphene is a carcinogen. How can this not be maliciously done.
If the photo is accurate, I can't imagine anyone seriously using those masks !<p>If I got a box of masks that looked like it was previously worn by a chimney-sweep, I would either return them to the seller or dispose of them. They look filthy !
No one will be held accountable here, but there really should be consequences to this level of sloppiness. Since these were resold by a third-party, it means that someone looked at this without any kind of health background and said "That one has graphene in it! The seller said it was better so it must be true.", bought it, and then FORCED educators to wear them.
A quick Google search suggests that SNN200642 masks are advertised as having graphene in them. Googling "biomass graphene" yields a bunch more links, including this one: <a href="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0371/0792/5125/products/3_1024x1024.jpg?v=1586952210" rel="nofollow">https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0371/0792/5125/products/3_...</a><p>A Chinese patent for a potentially toxic mask material?
> Patrick Baillargeon, who is charge of purchasing Quebec's laboratory supplies, warns in a letter that Health Canada has not received any data to support the safety and efficacy of face masks containing graphene particles and therefore considers the risks associated with these medical devices unacceptable.<p>This makes it sound like the graphene is there on purpose?
My brother was given this mask.<p>The graphene wasn't contaminated there or anything, it was actually put there on purpose. Shame on the manufacturer, the importer and the government.<p>This issue was brought to the attention of the government agyer a citizen was concerned over the presence of graphene and contacted the authorities.
> Some daycare educators had been suspicious of these grey and blue masks for a while because they felt like they were swallowing cat hair while wearing them, Radio-Canada has learned.<p>Really? If they were this bad, <i>why the hell</i> did they let people keep using them?? By now we all know how wearing a mask is supposed to feel, that sensation alone should have been enough to at least pause distribution.
I'm willing to bet someone thought that because of how extremely fine graphene is, it would be even better than activated charcoal for filtering tiny particles. That of course ignores that it is a super-fine particle of the kind you should be filtering instead.<p>It all reminds me of how coal miners used to purposely inhale McIntyre Powder, which was pulverized aluminum, to protect their lungs, only to end up with different medical problems.<p>Unflatteringly, this also happened in Canada. Apparently we never learn.
> Some daycare educators had been suspicious of these grey and blue masks for a while because they felt like they were swallowing cat hair while wearing them, Radio-Canada has learned.<p>Cat hair!
I had no idea graphene could be used in products like this. I always thought it was expensive and fragile, could only be made in small quantities, and that there were no cheap and efficient and ways to mass produce it?