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In response to a shortage of ethanol for disinfection at medical facilities amid the spread of COVID-19, the novel coronavirus diseases, the Toyo Seikan Group has taken on an effort with the government of Kanagawa prefecture to fill aluminum bottles with diluted high-grade alcohol and supply them, as sanitizer refills, to hospitals and clinics in the prefecture.

As ethanol-based hand sanitizer is increasingly getting scarce especially at medical facilities, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare has approved, as a special case, to use diluted high-grade alcohol as a substitute. Following this decision, we have converted a research line to a temporary filling line, under the guidance of the relevant government offices, to dilute high-grade alcohol procured by the Kanagawa government to 65 to 67 degrees and pack it into 400 ml aluminum bottles. The metal bottles are applied as substitutes for plastic bottles, which are currently in excess demand as the demand for refill products increases.

In the project under the special approval, approximately 35,000 bottles (14,000 liters) will be filled during the planned ten-day period from April 27 to May 6 and distributed via the local government office to medical providers in the prefecture.

While this project as an emergency measure to ease the shortage of ethanol sanitizer is unable to produce additional amount or to respond to requests from other local governments or organizations, we will utilize the experience and know-how obtained from the project for our future activities.


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Ippei Miki

Innovation Incubation Office

Toyo Seikan Group Holdings, Ltd.

Phone: +81-3-4586-6504

Email: open-up@tskg-hd.com