by TLA Staff
Just joining us? Read the first three installments of this series – “The ABCs of UV Light” here, and “Disinfection in Schools and Universities” here, and “Automatic Disinfection in Healthcare Facilities” here.
Welcome to the fourth installment of The Lighting Agency’s four-part series on UV Light. Read on to find out why UV disinfectant lights from PURO™ UV Disinfection Lighting, powered by Violet Defenseâ are a cost-effective and environmentally friendly way to achieve superior cleaning results in commercial, educational, industrial, and healthcare settings.
If you’ve been following our series, you’re already familiar with the fact that the UV-C wavelength of ultraviolet light is a research-proven tool for protecting facilities from harmful, microscopic pathogens such as SARS-COV-2—aka the coronavirus.
Scientists have known for over a hundred years that ultraviolet light can be effectively used to kill pathogens in the air and on surfaces. UV light attacks the DNA and/or RNA of pathogens at the molecular level. Given appropriate levels of exposure, UV-C light can inactivate viruses and render them harmless to humans. According to a recent study published by the National Institute of Health, UV light may even be used to reduce ambient levels of airborne coronaviruses in occupied public locations.
Another important advantage of UV-C light is that microbes cannot develop resistance to it as they have to antibiotics and certain chemical disinfectants. Overuse of antibiotics has led to the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. This happens when surviving bacteria replicate and pass on their traits that provide tolerance to future generations. Outbreaks of infection from bacteria such as Methicillin-resistant strains of staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and vancomycin-resistant enterococcus (VRE) are already difficult to treat. The concern amongst health care workers and epidemiologists alike is that these and other pathogens will further evolve and become resistant to treatments of last resort.
UV-C disinfection techniques can help mitigate the risks of inadvertently fostering the growth of chemical-resistant pathogens because of the simple fact that bacteria are unable to resist prolonged exposure UV-C light.
Cleaning routines that utilize UV-light in conjunction with, or in place of, chemicals can also reduce your total usage of chemical disinfectants. UV lights are long-lasting and reusable. Over time, this can result in cost savings as you reduce your overall purchase levels of cleaning supplies and disinfectants. Strategically placed lighting fixtures and semi or fully automated systems can further reduce manual labor costs over the long term.
In addition to the potential cost savings of UV light versus chemical cleaning, another important health consideration to take into account are the deleterious effects that chemical cleaners can have on your health and well-being. Per the American Lung Association,
“Cleaning supplies or household products can irritate the eyes or throat, or cause headaches and other health problems, including cancer. Some products release dangerous chemicals, including volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Other harmful ingredients include ammonia and bleach. Even natural fragrances such as citrus can react to produce dangerous pollutants indoors.”
In simplest terms—the fewer chemicals you have to use in your facility, the better it probably is for everyone’s health.
If the efficacy of UV-C light as a germicidal tool has been known for so long—if it’s healthier and more responsible to use fewer chemical disinfectants as a general rule, and if there are potential costs savings to be gained— why hasn’t UV light disinfection enjoyed more widespread interest and adoption beyond hospitals and health care facilities until the current pandemic?
Apart from the initial investment costs—the prices of which have greatly decreased over time—perhaps the primary obstacle to date for UV light adoption has been the perception of safety.
We’ve been taught to wear sunscreen to protect ourselves from sunburns caused by the UV radiation present in sunlight. Direct exposure to UV lights can, in fact produce harmful effects to the human body in only a short amount of time. The theoretical harm generated by poorly planned or executed installations can easily exceed any potential good, which is another reason that a professionally installed PURO lighting system with motion sensor technology is a great option for reducing ongoing labor costs and eliminating potential user errors.
In conclusion, we believe that the research supports our position that ultraviolet disinfectant systems are a cost-effective and environmentally friendly way to achieve superior cleaning results in commercial, educational, industrial, and healthcare settings.
Given how the coronavirus pandemic has made disinfection of shared spaces a fundamental requirement, we believe that there is no better time than the present to consider how a UV-light-based disinfection system can provide you with the confidence and assurance that your facility is the safest it can be.
We’d also like to thank our friends at PURO™ Lighting and Violet Defenseâ for partnering with us to lend their expertise and resources to answer your questions about UV light technology.
ABOUT PURO™ Lighting
Launched in 2019 in Lakewood, Colorado, PURO™ Lighting products, powered by Violet Defense™ technology, have set out to take proven UV light disinfection technology to the next level by making it more powerful, more affordable, and most importantly, smaller and easier to utilize.
PURO Lighting products can rapidly disinfect any room of any size and at any time using the proprietary miniaturized, pulsed Xenon Light Engine System. Our high-intensity, broad-spectrum UV disinfection units rapidly kill up to 99.9% of viruses and bacteria and can significantly reduce the growth of fungi such as yeasts and molds. All in remarkably small yet powerful fixed or mobile units designed for any sized space. For more information, visit www.purolighting.com.
ABOUT Violet Defense®
Founded in 2012, Violet Defense is on a journey to find new ways to protect people from harmful germs that have grown resistant to traditional forms of cleaning and disinfecting. Its patented technology is the only known Pulsed Xenon UV solution that can be installed into a room full-time, creating a continuous way to address the disinfection needs of all types of settings, including healthcare and non-healthcare alike. Designed to bring hospital-grade disinfection to everyday spaces, Violet Defense has cost-effective solutions to kill up to 99.9% of bacteria and viruses, including E. coli, Salmonella, MRSA, Norovirus and C. diff. For more information, visit www.violetdefense.com.
TLA is here to help answer your location-specific questions and navigate the process of identifying, installing, and implementing the best UV Light System for your needs using PURO™ Lighting, powered by Violet Defenseâ.
Contact your TLA sales representative or our inside lighting sales team for more information on any of the products above.
And be sure to join us on the Spotlight Blog for all four parts of this series, plus product features, TLA News, and team profiles.