Van Lienden founded the non-profit organization Stichting Hulptroep Alliantie to ensure that the Netherlands would quickly receive millions of masks. The Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport ultimately orders 40 million mouth masks through them, reports de Volkskrant Saturday.
But it is clear from dozens of internal documents, contracts, mails and reports in the possession of the newspaper that Van Lienden and his associates had the large million deals run through their own private limited companies and have thus earned from them.
Rejected
The masks would also have been rejected by the RIVM because they contain graphene (nanomaterial of carbon) and, according to an inspector, constitute an ‘unacceptable health risk’. Ultimately, VWS still agrees with the purchase.
“Graphene has been included in the tests and in the certification of an accredited testing agency,” said the conclusion in an internal memo. ‘This means that the mask meets the set quality requirements and standards and is released on the basis of the VWS guideline.’
‘Not harmless’
A spokesman for the RIVM says that the institute is ‘not in favor’ of caps containing nanosilver, copper oxide or graphene as long as it is not substantiated and investigated what the added value is, while there may be risks. According to the RIVM, graphene is ‘not by definition harmless’.
The Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport informs de Volkskrant that none of the 40 million mouth masks supplied by Van Lienden went to healthcare. They are still in stock because too much has been purchased. The 100.8 million euros for the 40 million masks has been transferred.
According to Van Lienden, there is nothing wrong with his mouth masks. “We researched it with VWS and test agencies. The graphene in our masks are not nanotubes but flakes bound in plastic. It cannot come off and there is so little in it that it is not harmful. It’s just a safe product. ”
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