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Birmingham distillery switches to making free hand sanitizer during coronavirus pandemic

Dread River Distilling Company in Birmingham has found a new use for their alcohol expertise. The business, which is largely without customers due to coronavirus precautions, has taken to using the equipment at their disposal to make hand sanitizer and sanitizing spray.

As first reported by CBS42, Dread River is recycling the extra alcohol from their normal distillation process and using it to make two of the nation’s most in-demand sanitation materials.

The company is giving out their new product for free, and they are especially targeting other local establishments that need it.

Since the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic on March 11, hand sanitizer and other disinfectant products have been hard to acquire across the country.

“It’s just our way of trying to do something to give back to our community,” John Cubelic, co-founder of Dread River, told CBS42.

On Thursday, the company posted on Facebook that they had “received a huge volume of support” and inquiries for their sanitizer.

They clarified that, for now, they are trying “to provide this sanitizer to local healthcare facilities, first responders and those businesses with the most urgent needs.”

Dread River is asking for anyone with plastic spray bottles or containers for hand sanitizer to donate them to the cause.

The company says finding containers has been their biggest obstacle to passing out more of their newly-manufactured sanitation materials.

Customers interested in donating containers can visit Dread River at 2400 7th Avenue South in Birmingham, email the business or get in touch on Facebook.

Those interested in supporting Dread River’s normal business can still place orders for spirits curbside from 11:00 a.m to 5:00 p.m.

Henry Thornton is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can contact him by email: [email protected] or on Twitter @HenryThornton95.

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