REopening
Archives, Libraries,
and Museums
News > Test set 3 announced
Battelle begins testing a third round of materials on July 10, 2020. For test set 3, five plastic-based items were selected for Battelle lab testing to examine the length of time the COVID-19 virus may live on materials commonly used in archives, libraries, and museums. The materials were provided to Battelle by Columbus Metropolitan Library; the National Archives and Records Administration; and the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled, Library of Congress. Results from this round of testing are expected to be released within four weeks. The items include:
| Item | Material type | Usage |
|---|---|---|
| DVD/CD | polycarbonate | audio books, video, music (a polypropylene DVD case was tested in test set 1) |
| Talking book, USB cassettes | acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), specific blend | cartridges are used in talking book readers available through the National Library Services for the Blind and Disabled |
| Acrylic | acrylic | display cases, partitions |
| Storage bags (flexible plastic) | low-density polyethylene (LDPE), recycling #4 | storage, library and museum kits, gift shop packaging |
| Storage containers (rigid plastic) | high-density polyethylene (HDPE), recycling #2 | transporting and storage of items |